This is Not Enough
by Peonyqt1004
Summary: Sakura is an orphan with no notions of her past or her legitimate parents. She gets adopted by one of the most powerful families in Hong Kong and meets the spoiled and cold son of the Li clan who hates Sakura. S and S. Sakura's dark past returns to her...
1. Default Chapter

Prologue:  
  
Title: This is Not Enough  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS.  
  
A/N: Please R and R. I plan to continue this story soon. ^_^; I got this idea from a true story, and some parts are just made up.  
"This is Not Enough"  
"Sister... Where are you?" A young boy asked, staring at the midnight sky from his spot in a large room. He wrapped himself in a pale blue blanket. His dark black hair fell about his face as he started to cry again. "Now I'm all alone... all alone..." He cried out to nobody, he whimpered and shivered as he clutched the blanket tightly to himself. "I promise I'll find you, I promised ma I'll take care of you." He said to nobody as the stars twinkled in the dark sky, the moon shone upon his tearstained face. "I'm all alone.... please be well sister. We'll meet again..." A cool breeze swept about his room, lifting his dark ebony locks and making goose bumps across his skin.   
~//~//~  
  
A little girl with large green eyes and brown short hair played with a small gold heart necklace, which she had received, from a mysterious benefactor. It did not go with her appearance at all. The girl was grimy, with a hand-me-down dress, worn and frayed, and cuts all over her arm.   
  
"Is new ma nice?" She asked, her high shrill voice earnest and apprehensive. The tall woman next to her patted the girl's head. "Yes, they're nice Sakura. They think you are a kawaii girl." Sakura flushed with pleasure, her eyes were hopeful. "Will they be my forever family?" She asked hopefully. "Yes, I think." The woman said uncertainly. "They sounded sincere over the phone." Sakura smiled. "Good." The girl touched the gold necklace about her throat, the only finery she had. "Lila...?" The girl tugged the tall woman's arm. Lila looked at Sakura, "Yes dear?" "Did I ever have a real real family before?" Sakura asked. "Everyone did." Lila said comfortingly. Sakura blinked her large eyes twice as she looked at the floor, tears forming in her eyes. "Why did they hate me?" She asked, her voice cracking. Lila sat there uncomfortably. "Well... I..." She started, but she stopped, knowing it was no use in hiding the inevitable. She listened to Sakura's sniffling. "Shh... Its ok." Lila said quietly, rubbing Sakura's back in soothing semi-circles. "I-i-i'm not crying." Sakura said. A wet drop of a tear gave her away as it landed with a plop of the dusty floor. "I...I hope my new family won't hate me too." Sakura said, her voice slightly optimistic, and her voice a bit cheerier. The volunteer at the orphanage next to her smiled sadly. "They can't hate you, nobody can hate you." Lila said honestly. Sakura's grimy face broke into a beautiful smile. "Thank you." She said, rubbing her eyes frantically.   
A tall regal rich woman frowned as her only son squirmed about his seat impatiently.   
  
"I don't want a sister." He shouted, his face red with anger and rage. "Stop this nonsense Syaoran!" Her mother exploded, rubbing her temples as her son threw a tantrum next to her. "I DON'T WANT A SISTER!" He screamed, making the mother want to choke her son to death. But eventually, he quieted down, worn out from the traveling and yelling. The stewardess stood next to the rich family with an embarrassed look on her face. "Yes Mrs. Li?" She asked, nervously eyeing the little boy who was glaring at her from the corner of his eyes.   
  
'If looks can kill, his can.'  
  
The stewardess thought nervously, tucking a curly blonde lock behind her ear. "I would like an aspirin please." Mrs. Li said tiredly. The stewardess nodded and bowed, leaving the seats in a hurry.   
  
Mrs. Li's whole name was Yelan Li. She was the richest woman in Hong Kong. After her husband had died, and left only her and Syaoran in the world by themselves, Yelan had grown lonely. She loved Syaoran dearly, but when she watched a little girl go by, trailing their mother, she would yearn for another child, which was impossible. She married the most powerful clan leader in Hong Kong, and made a vow never to remarry, so having another child was impossible. After many days of longing for a daughter, she saw an ad from a faraway orphanage and caught sight of the most adorable little girl she had ever seen on the brochure. Green eyes met hers as she stared at the photo, and she had fallen in love with the child ever since she laid eyes on the picture. Unable to contain herself, she pleaded with the elders to adopt a child, and somehow, amazingly, she had gotten their consent. Now she was going to get "her child." The adorable innocent child that was on the brochure in Japan. It would be nice to have a girl for a change. She loved taking care of Syaoran, but his selfishness and demand for attention irked her. Being the only male heir to the Li leadership, he was pampered and spoiled to death. She smiled as she watched Hong Kong disappear.  
"Sakura, this is your new mother."  
  
Sakura looked up, wide-eyed at the regal and beautiful woman in front of her. "K-k-konnichiwa!" She said, stuttering a bit as she stared at the magnificent woman before her. Maybe she wasn't good enough for the woman? Sakura felt frightened all of a sudden, but the woman smiled at her warmly. "Hello Sakura Kinomoto." She said in a Japanese's, it was slightly accented with a Chinese accent. The woman brought out something from her large tote bag. Sakura blinked as the woman handed her a small blue bear with a mirror stitched onto its stomach. "A gift."  
  
Sakura, for the first time in a long time, saw her reflection. There were no mirrors in the orphanage she was at, and looking at herself, Sakura suddenly felt hot tears springing from her eyes. This was really her new mother.   
  
Yelan was startled as she saw wet droplets pf tears fall from the girl's eyes, sliding on the mirror on the teddy bears tummy. "Is something the matter?" She asked anxiously. The tall woman holding Sakura's hand smiled a bit sadly. "No, she's fine, I think she is happy." Yelan smiled as she crouched down to look at the small girl. "What's your name?" The girl looked up, her eyes sparkling with hope and happiness...and more. "Sakura Avalon." Yelan winced, Avalon was an automatic last name for the orphanage children, for their parents were unknown... and the name of the orphanage itself was "Avalon." "And how old are you?" Sakura looked a bit perplexed. Yelan felt a shiver of fear, had she said something wrong? But Sakura smiled uncertainly. "I think I'm 6." The woman holding Sakura's hand frowned. "Oh. She doesn't know her true birth date so we aren't sure." She explained. A deep pang of pity coursed through Yelan. "Ah, Sakura..." She brought out her arms, gathering the filthy little girl in her arms. "Your a Li now, your my daughter... your my child." Yelan felt wet tears soak through her black business suit, but she didn't care... She finally had a daughter.  
They boarded the plane back to Hong Kong. Sakura looked about her wildly, terrified of the strange flying white objects and the loud sound. "Shush Sakura." Yelan said gently, "It is only airplanes." "Aheerplnes?" Sakura asked, puzzled. "Airplanes." Yelan repeated, pointing out the flying machines. "Airplanes." Sakura repeated, sounding the words out slowly and precisely. "Not bad." Yelan commented, giving Sakura a smile. They stopped in a lobby. "You will meet your brother, he was staying at his uncles place." Yelan said in Japanese, making Sakura clap her hands in excitement. "Brother!" She said, delighted with the idea. Sakura blinked and stared as two brown eyes met hers. She was face to face with a glaring little boy with messy chocolate brown hair and amber eyes. He said something in Chinese, making Yelan look at her son sharply. "Sakura." She said. She was trying her best to ignore her rude son who had come in with a tall balding man. "Your brothers name is Syaoran." Sakura blinked, "Show run?" "No, Syaoran." Yelan said patiently. "Shoryan?" That's when the amber eyed boy exploded.  
  
"Syaoran... you... ninny!" He exploded, his face red as he let out a burst of broken Japanese. Sakura felt her eyes tear up and she hung her head. Maybe they had started to hate her already. Yelan put a comforting hand on Sakura's back. "Don't worry." She said in Japanese. "He takes some getting used to."  
  
Throughout the whole ride, Syaoran glared at the girl sitting on the other side of his mom. "Mommy, that girl is stupid." He said in Chinese. Yelan gave him a sharp look. "She's Japanese, and she is your sister, she isn't that girl, she's Sakura." At the sound of her name, Sakura looked up from the Chinese picture book she was looking at. "Hai?" Dressed in a little girl sailor dress with a straw hat, Sakura looked quite cute and fetching. She was cleanly washed and Yelan was pleased to see how pretty Sakura looked. Sakura swung her small legs about her chair. "Nani?" Sakura asked again, her eyes confused. "Its nothing." Yelan said gently as she turned to her son. "Now Syaoran, be nice. She is your sister, got that? She is living with us, and she will be treated right." Syaoran turned red with rage as he started to fume. 'How come Sakura gets all the attention?!' He bawled to himself as he curled up in a small ball, and hatefully glared at Sakura one more time as he curled up to go to sleep.  
Syaoran was now ten, he was the same age as Sakura, and he still hated her guts. Ever since she had came into the house, everyone was pampering her, crooning and exclaiming at how cute she was when she pronounced some new Chinese word that she learned correctly, she fitted in well at school, and was pretty popular. She was very bright, and was always competing with him. But unlike him, she maintained a sense of humility and humbleness, which Syaoran could never have.  
"Ma ma!" Sakura ran in, her short brown hair swinging on her back, her green eyes sparkling. Yelan looked up and smiled as Sakura ran up to her. "Look, I got into the national track at school!" She said happily. "My my, that's nice!" Yelan said, hugging Sakura. Yelan was proud of her adopted daughter, but worried slightly over her son, who was consumed with jealousy. He was always competing and lashing out at Sakura and other people. The door slammed from somewhere in their large mansion. "Oh, Syaoran is here." Sakura said. Her voice slightly trembled as she hurried to her room. Yelan frowned, of course Sakura was scared of Syaoran, he seemed to have a strange harsh aura that tended to scare people around him easily. Her son came in, his hair mussed and his eyes glittering angrily. "Where is that stupid girl!" He shouted. Yelan winced. Syaoran had a terrible temper.   
  
"So your math exam hasn't gone very well?" Yelan asked quietly. Syaoran faced his mother, his child-like face contorted in rage. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" He bursted. "How can an adopted abandoned girl like HER ever beat me in a stupid examination?!" Yelan was shocked. "Syaoran!" She rebuked, but he ignored her. "Fine mother, take her side." Syaoran said bitterly as he left the room and went to his room down the hall, slamming the door shut with a bang. Yelan rubbed her temple. 'Such a temper.' She thought wearily. 'It will be his downfall.'  
  
Sakura felt tears come to her eyes as she heard what Syaoran had said out in the hallway. Her brother was always so mean. She sniffled, curling up in her princess bed. She muffled her cried in her pillow, not wanting Yelan to worry. It hurt. Syaoran never let her forget that she was adopted and abandoned. She didn't dislike Syaoran at all, she knew he had his nice moments, but this was too much. Why did her brother have to be so competitive? She had a feeling he never liked her since the day she walked in. She clasped the blue teddy bear in her arms, it was old and worn, but it brought good memories, she smiled when she remembered her first time in her room. She was so astonished, she had never had anything so fine before, and everything was always used. Sakura never forgot her days at the orphanage, although it was all a blur to her, she remembered the pain of loneliness and isolation. She never tried to let the money get to her head. She was rich, but always gave when she saw someone worse off then her. Sakura sighed, her eyes misty as she swung herself off her bed, wiping away her wet tears. She opened the door; she wouldn't let her brother get to her.  
---- 8 years later---  
Syaoran was going to collage, some far place away from home. Sakura felt a sense of sadness, although she didn't really like him, she knew Yelan was having a hard time watching her grown son leave. The stood at the airport, Sakura dressed in a fashionable black dress. "Good bye son." Yelan said. Her son stiffly gave his mother a hug. "Good bye mother." He turned to Sakura, his glare was like ice, and Sakura felt anger make her face flushed. "Good bye Syaoran." She said. "Good riddance." He said coldly, not bothering to shake her hand or to hug her. He turned and waved to his family. "I'll make you proud mom." He said, giving Sakura a challenging look. "I'll out do all others!" Yelan started to cry, proud of her son as she waved. "Goodbye." She called tearfully, watching her son disappear towards the unknown.  
  
Sakura sighed; Syaoran had been cruel to her ever since she had come, and ever since he had left. She was a bit disappointed, she was always envious of the brother sister relationship the people around her had. She walked slowly, thinking about him a bit more as she got into her flashy BMW. He had treated her like an inferior, making mean jokes about her and pushing her around in high school. Although all that pained her, she sensed a rather bitter shield barricading her from getting closer to him. She never had gotten past it, and she thought she'd never will. She smiled. 'I guess its good riddance to you also.' She thought, turning on her engine. 'Let see who can do this game of life better, you or me?' She smiled and laughed out loud, she had always out bested him, and she would do that again. Bitterly she looked forward, 'I hope I never see you again.' She thought angrily. 'I tried my best to be kind to you, but you've always been mean to me. Good riddance!'  
To Be Continued...  
Summary of what is to come:  
  
Sakura is an orphan with no parents; she gets adopted by one of the most wealthy and powerful families in Hong Kong. She meets her brother to be, who hates her with a vengeance. After many embittered days together, he goes off to college in Japan. He returns when he hears the news of his mothers death, only then does Syaoran finally understand Sakura as she starts to understand him. They fall in love, but the elders of Li forbid it. Something in Sakura's past comes looking for her as well, bringing back her lost memories, terrifying truths, and her true origins. But in the end, what life does she choose? The one filled with lies and deceptions... or the one where her true love is forbidden?  
Read and Review please!  
  
-Peonyqt1004 


	2. Mother is Dead

Title: This is Not Enough  
Chapter 1- "Mother's Dead"  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
DISCLAIMER: As it should apply.  
A beautiful young woman with large green eyes, so beautiful that they looked like precious gems themselves, and light honey brown hair that flowed in loose curls to her waist stood next to a hospital bed. The young woman was dressed in formal attired, crisp and grey, with smart and fashionable clothes and trendy boots. However, this beautiful young womans face looked very troubled. She sat down quietly next to the bed, holding a silver small cell phone in her small but long hands, she had turned off her ringing, however many buisness calls were made to her, she would'nt pick up... There was a more important issue. A faint rasping noise came from the bed, drawing the girl up to her feet, "Ma ma? Are you ok?" she asked worriedly. "I'm fine..." The thin dwindling voice replied, "Sakura, you can go do what you have to now, I'm fine." Old and aged Yelan Li said to her grown adopted daughter. Yelan had grown old, but magneficently, yet little wrinkles of anger, saddness, and dissappointment folded around her eyes and mouth, her long brown hair had turned silver with age, but her skin, was remarkably smooth for a woman her age.  
"Nothing more important then you." Sakura said firmly, refusing to move. Yelan smiled, with effort. "Sakura, I won't be in this world much longer." Sakura flinched, "No, you're staying here till I get married." Sakura said crisply, hiding the hurt underneathe. Yelan chuckled and coughed. "I don't think so Sakura... I don't want to leave you alone in this world... but I have no choice." Sakura felt tears prick in her eyelids. "Don't talk like that." She said briskly, gently patting the blanket covering her adopted mother in order to keep herself from wailing outloud. Yelan smiled and moisture built in the old womans eyes. "If only I could see Syaoran one more time..." She said wistfully. Sakura wanted to cry and rage outloud as the mention of that name. Syaoran, her so called brother, her mothers so called son... He didn't even come to visit after their mothers heart attack.   
  
"I'm sure he'll come." Sakura said quickly, not wanting to dash her mothers hope in fear it will make her mother heartbroken, but secretly, Sakura suspected that Syaoran would not come. Yelan looked old and weary, "I hope so..." The old woman drifted off, sleep taking over her. Sakura trembled slightly as she got up. 'Mother won't be here for long.' Sakura realized, though she wanted to deny her, the peaceful look on her mothers face, and the faint beeping of the machine brought back a fresh wave of new fears. 'Oh Mother... don't leave...' Sakura clenched her fist. 'The one person who truely cared for me, is leaving soon... how can I face the world without her?' Sakura felt tears well up in her eyes as she went out of the room, she turned on her cell phone and listened to all the messages recorded.  
  
*Beep* Sakura, Preston wants you to type up that report... *beep*  
  
*Beep* Sakura, where were you? Preston has been looking for you... *beep*  
  
*Beep* Mrs. Li? The power point project was just finished yesterday and I was wondering when I should drop it in?*beep*  
  
Sakura sighed. She knew she should've told them about her mothers sickness, but she was too scared to face the truth and actually admitting it. Finally, she was defeated, after weeks and weeks of denial, she knew her mothers death was unavoidable, death came to everyone. Sometimes she wondered if her true parents were dead, but then, would they care if she was alive? She doubted it. The old faded sting of old destroyed hopes and dreams resounded in her heart, yet she took in a deep breathe and held it down, it wouldn't defeat her. However, Syaoran... Yelan wanted to see him so bad. After he had left for Japan, he didn't come back, a few letters had arrives, indicating that he had taken residence there and that he had become a company manager and more. He had given them his number, but it was forced. Sakura could sense it from the tone of that letter. Sakura started to tremble violently as she came to a desicion, not for her sake, for her mothers. Fear overtook her, but she gathered up the frayed ends of her courage, and decided.... to call Syaoran.  
Trembling slender fingers dialed the number she had saved, just in case... she felt her breath hitch as she brought the phone to her ear.  
  
A handsome young man with dark brown hair and intense tigerish dark brown eyes speckled with gold, sat in his office, holding a letter in front of him, he was trembling, his face was clenched in a cold and controlled look, as if something was trying to come out and he would'nt let it. The letter floated to the ground as he let it go. So, his mother was terribly ill... He felt a strange sadness and a coldness mixed with it. He cared yet he didn't, he wasn't sure what to do. His hands clenched and unclenched as he opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling with an incredibly blank look on his face.   
  
'Mother... is dying...'  
  
Syaoran deperatly wanted to go to his mother and comfort her... but a bitterness grew in him. 'But she would be there.' Syaoran thought, disgusted with the sound of her name, even if it was in his mind, 'Sakura.' He hated her, she had taken every bit of love that HE should've gotten, everything... and took it for herself. 'She was selfish.' He thought gloomily. If another person had looked through his mind, and listened to his reason, they might've called it jelousy... but Syaoran was sure that it was more then that, that his anger was justified. Deep in thought, he hardly heard his cell phone ringing, only when the viborator within the cell carried the silvery phone to the edge of his desk did he notice it. In his most professionaly voice, shaking off all his momentary thoughts, he recieved the call, speaking in perfect Japanese.  
  
"Hello, Syaoran Li speaking."  
  
A sweet husky voice answered him, it was not high, but not low, just in between. A voice of a sensual female. Syaoran smirked. Another woman seeking his attention. "Syaoran?" The voice questioned, her voice was shaking, Syaoran frowned. The voice was vaugely familiar, now that he thought about it. "Whose this?" Syaoran demanded. He almost hung up on her when the woman answered. "Sakura." But something in her tone, her voice, caught him.   
  
"Syaoran, I won't be at the hospital tommorow afternoon, if you can somehow catch a flight to China and see mother--."  
  
"You have no right calling my mother yours." Syaoran said, rather possesively. He heard a sigh from the other side, "Ok Syaoran, Yelan. Yelan is sick, and she really wants to see her, I thought maybe you can see her? I promise I won't stop by at all. You won't see me." "Good." Syaoran said curtly. "I'll go, but I don't want to see you." There was a grateful sigh from the other side, "Ok, thanks." The phone clicked as she hung up. Slowly he closed his phone, he was going to Hong Kong. To see his mother.  
Yelan blinked a couple of time, clearing the faint haze about her dimming eyes. She was quite suprised to meet a pair of brown eyes... "Its a dream... is it really my son?" She asked, the young grown man looked at her, a muscle throbbing at his temple for a strange reason. "Yes, this is Syaoran." The tall handsome man suprised her, he almost looked like her dead husband. Tears misted her eyes. "You look almost like Xiahou De Li." Yelan said faintly. Syaoran let out a faint smile, recognizing his fathers name. "Thank you." There was a long silence between them, and Syaoran was fidgeting. "Please sit down." Yelan said, watching her son with adoring eyes. Thsi handsome figure was her son. HER son. Pride filled her from her head to her toes. He was dressed in a pair of comfortable grey slacks and an off white creme sweater, his collar, which showed from under his wool sweater, was unkempt and messy. His longish dark brown hairs kept falling into his eyes, his broad yet slender hand kept brushing them away. "The elders kept you in shape." Yelan commented. Syaoran nodded. "There never was a day without martial arts training, they keep thinking I'm going to return to Hong Kong to take my fathers place in the clan, and take over the company." Yelan looked sorrowful, a cold look had setteled in her sons eyes. She grieved, how could her adopted daughter be so much easier to talk to then her own son? "Syaoran, there are many things I must tell you before I'm gone." Yelan felt her weariness come back to her, she didn't want to know how it was being nothing. He flinched and a look of fear crossed Syaoran's tigerish eyes, making Yelan smile. So he cared about her.   
  
"When I die I'm leaving the company to Sakura. I want you to take care of her."  
  
Syaorans eyes widened, his face flushing with rage. he jumped up, enraged, making his mother gasp painfully as her son glowered angrily at her. "I AM THE HEIR!" He shouted angrily, "How coome SHE gets the company mother? Do you think that little of me?!" Yelan gasped in pain, stuttering. "It is not that son... I-i-i-i--." Syaoran glared at her. "What makes her so much better then me? You always loved her not ME! After father died you didn't care at all about me! Father cared for me, he always did, until he died, all YOU did was cry and whimper about him, you didn't care about MY pain!" Yelan felt her heart ache, and breathing became difficult.   
  
"S-s-s-y-yaoran..." She wheezed, tears forming in her eyes.  
  
"DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Syaoran said darkely, stalking out of the room. Yelan felt the world around her collapse and tears of sorrow fell from her eyes. 'But Syaoran... it was hard to make that desicion... She cares and understands people... you still have much to learn... I just want my company in hands of someone with a soft heart... Syaoran... My son... I love you.' Yelan took a deep gasping breathe, the machine behind her was wailing, her respirator was squealing as her life line beated in a frantic strange beat. She heard nurses rushing into her room. 'Too late...' Yelan thought faintly, as the pain in her heart intensified. 'I'm dead.' There was a long steady beep. She was gone.  
Sakura hummed as she brushed a comb through her hair. The large mansion was quiet without her mother or Shila, but she managed. She petted her cat Kero, who purred under her touch. The creature had golden eyes and rich yellow fur. It twitched its tail twice and lept gently on the floor. The phone rang, Sakura wondered who was calling at this time of day, the sun was setting in the west and stars dotted the fading sky.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, is this Kinomoto's residence?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I am sorry to report that Yelan Li has been pronounced dead at 5:40 this afternoon, she had died from a severe heart attack...."  
  
The phone dropped out of Sakuras hands as she stared blindly at the wall in front of her. Her mother was dead. The mechanical voice from the phone droned on and on... and the words, "Pronounced dead" reveberated in her head. Trickles of tears fled from her eyelids as she sat heavily on the floor, her eyes unseeing. Her chest hurt, yet nothing came out, a dry sob came from her, Kero meowed and licked her face roughly with its tounge, but Sakura pushed her cat away, who meowed spitefully at this and scampered away.   
  
"Ma... ma..." Sakura said slowly as she slowly picked up the phone and answered the confused voice on the other end. Her face was pale and her body trembling. She did remeber one thing though. The nurses had told her this after noon, that Syaoran had checked in at 5:30, and left promtly around 5:29 that afternoon. Did he have something to do with it? She didn't know, the world she knew was dissolving around her, and she suddenly realized, she was all alone.  
To be continued...  
A/N: Syaorans not *That* bad, just misunderstood, you'll see. ^_^ Promised S and S moments in future chapters. Remeber to Read and Review! I'd love that thank you! BYE!  
-Peony  
Special Thanks~  
  
Sakura_Free_Spirit (Stick with me, I'll have the story rolling faster nxt time! Thanx for the review!)  
  
Enchanted Winter Stars (Thanx for the review! I hope you lyke this chapter!)  
  
Winged Gaurdian (Hehehe, I know, Syaorans mean, but he's a good kid, you'll know after probably the nxt chapter, why he's like this, theres some hints on it on this chapter too)  
  
Anonymous (Thanx for the compliment, I dunt read the dictionary. Hahaha, a lot of books did help though. Glad u liked it, and loved ur review!)  
  
Danielle Ngo (Hehehe, ur reviews are always nice, I'm glad u like this story and my other one. ^.^ I hope u like this chapter too!) 


	3. A Little Talk

Title: This is Not Enough  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter 2: Talking with You  
  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own CCS.  
  
A/N: I was sick for a long time with a virus... a flu virus that is. So I could'nt write for a long time, I'm a bit sick now too, so excuse my poor writing and sorry for not updating in such a long while. ^^ Thanks for the reviews thou!  
-Peony  
  
---Talking to You--  
Rain drummed against the pane of his glass window. Amber eyes stared out into the dark night sky. He had just recieved a call that his mother has died, right after he had left in a fit of anger. He was confused. Why was he acting this way? Feelings strange and new twisted and writhered inside of him as he stared out his car window. He couldn't understand the painful gnawing guilt in the back of his mind, and couldn't explain the faint groan of pain from the deep dark crevice of his heart. The rain pittered hard against his window, making the street lights make little webworks of orange light across his water covered window. Like crystals they shone, and they made dark dots of shadows about his face, like a shadow of a tear. But no tears came. The amber eyes closed, a painful sigh escaping his lips as he leaned back into his seat, into the world of escape.  
Sakura was trembling, her eyes wide and her face thin and pale. Her usual spunky attitude seemed a bit forced today as she walked about in a white gown, the gown of mourning. The funeral was being held. Sakura could'nt belive it. A life snuffed out, just like that. The life of the woman she loved the most. Her mother. Sakura slowly made her way towards the large church worship area. The large cathedral ceiling and the stained glass windows shining brightly with the suns rays from outside made the church unholy with a strange, almost playful tranquillity. Sakura felt herself lost in the beautiful of the church. The fragrance of roses wafted in about the room, premeating it with a delightfully fresh and crisp aroma, yet a solem and beautifully dignified air was acheived. The chestnut brown pews glowed in the multicolored sunlight, and the coffin laid out before Sakura was there, basking in a earthreal glow. Soft rays of light skipped about the room, lighting it up with a cheerful glow... Sakura felt herself become serene, she approached the coffin towards Yelan. Her mother. Yelan was beautiful even in death. Her mothers beautiful flowing white hair streaked with a bit of her natrual brown color was perfectly put into a fancy up do. The locks framed the peaceful dead face... Yelan was slender and tall even as she aged. She was dressed in a beautiful dark green gown of silk embroided with gold... She almost looked alive, except for the fact that the pain was gone from her face, and that the skin was a strange shade of white and the lips lacked the usual flushed red. Sakura felt herself crying silently, her body shook as each silent sob built within her. A wet crystal like drop of water fell from her eyes and fell onto her mothers high and perfect forehead. The salty tear slowly ran down the dead face and traced down the high cheekbone, as if Yelan too was crying. Sakura sighed; This was the only person who dared to accept her and love her.   
  
A beautiful red eyed girl approached the dead corpse of her aunt. It was painful, seeing her aunt lying there, dead. Stiff.... Gone.   
  
"Meiling."  
  
Meiling turned slowly, meeting a pair of green eyes.   
  
"Sakura."  
  
Meiling spoke softly, seeing her adopted cousin, she felt a painful jolt in her heart. Of course, it would be harder on the good hearted Sakura. Sakura smiled cheerfully, yet the smile didn't reach those large doleful green eyes. "Meiling, how's everything going?" Meiling shrugged, carefully finding words to not upset her cousin. "The elders are still deciding on who I should marry, then they'll turn their heads to you next." Sakura gave a weary smile to her cousin. "Meiling I'm gald your here." Sakura said tearfully, hugging Meiling. Meiling trailed her long pale fingers through her long black tresses put into two buns with the rest of her long hair flowing down. "I'm glad you're ok, you'll be ok." Meiling stepped away from the coffin, for many of Yelans family and friends wished to pay respect for their dearly departed as well.  
  
"Syaoran is not here?" Meiling asked curiously, turning a faint shade of pink. "No." Sakura said coldly. "Why would he?" Meiling clucked her tounge. "He's not bad Sakura." Sakura ignored Meilings comment. "Did you know? Right after Syaoran left Ma, she died? He must've said something really nasty, he's good at that." Meiling bit her lips. Meiling would never admit it outloud, but she had a huge crush on her own cousin, Syaoran. But she wouldn't let it show.   
  
"Syaoran really doesn't mean it."  
  
Sakura sighed. "I'll go play piano for the guests before we go up to speak about her... the obiturarys..." Sakuras lips quivered as she hurried away. Meiling looked sad. 'Syaoran isn't that bad...'  
Beautiful haunting music came from the door Syaoran stood before. Syaoran never had his heart beat so fast before. He was in indesicion. Should he? Or should he not? Dressed in all black, save the white tie he wore about his throat, Syaoran somehow managed to open the door to the funeral room. The beauty of the churchs worship room astounded him. Gentle lights played in his amber hair as he found himself walking towards the coffin. He heard his elders call out for him, a suprised yell... The beautiful music which floated about the room in a hauntingly sad way adruptly faded away. He was alone, in front of his mothers coffin.  
  
Just like last time.  
  
Syaoran held back the painful memories as he looked down at his mother, so youthful and beautiful in death and in life. Anguish nearly overcame him. A dried streak... was it a tear? Could corpses cry? A salty dried track of a tear remained on his mothers face. Like a knife it stabbed his heart. Did she cry when he had left? He didn't mean for her to die. No. He never did.   
  
'Mother. I never meant for it to happen this way.'  
  
"Syaoran!"  
  
Syaoran turned around slowly, meeting his cousins face.   
  
"Meiling."  
  
His cousin clapped her hands with happiness. "You came!" Syaoran nodded. "Kind of obvious isn't it?" Meiling ignored his cold saying and clamped her large slender hands about his thick and muscular wrist. "C'mon! The speeches are about to start!"  
"Yelan Li was a good woman." An old man finished, his words were not passionate, but his choice of words were poetical... and it was clear that he admired the dead woman greatly as he got down. Syaoran shifted uncomfortably to his left, unable to think straight as his eyes wandered back to his mothers corpse.... Until he heard a familiar husky voice.  
  
"Yelan Li..." The voice trmebled and paused before a long shaky breathe was heard over the mike. Syaoran rolled his eyes. 'Sakura.' Yet his eyes were drawn towards her once she started to talk, her voice was powerful with emotions, her words passionate and sincere... the quality of every gesture she made, every sincere thing she said made him want to fall to his knees and cry. He knew his mother was a wonderful person... He wasn't. The person who should be saying that should be him, up there. Not the orphan. Not the one with no family. Not the one who didn't belong. Yet, her golden quality shone brightly, making him see who he couldn't see before. But he knew fully well his mother had seen it.  
"She was a wonderful mother, a wonderful teacher, a wonder person in all she had done and will ever do. She taught me how to forgive, how to be who I can be, she brought me into this world to love me. She told me I'm never alone, and hugged me when I was scared. She molded me... Once she had told me, "Look Sakura, see that stars up in the sky? Every soul is like a star, shining brightly. Once we die, we become a star Sakura, we light the path for others." Then she would hug me and smile. Every gesture she had done for me was kindly, when she got mad at me, I looked into myself and saw why. She led me through the most darkest tunnels, most troublesome pathways, and the most confusing paths..."  
  
Syaoran didn't want to hear any more. he made himself close his ears from her words and stared at the beautiful cathedral ceiling with the angels painted in silver and gold dancing up on there. Like heaven. Clouds dotted the ceiling. Was his mother up there?   
  
Time passed by quickly as the body was being buried. He stood stiffly near the grave as Sakura bent down reverently, placing a garaland of roses and sakura blossoms on the coffin before they covered it. Earth claimed what it had created.   
A tall man with white blonde hair and blue eyes jogged towards the girl with light honey brown hair. "Ms. Li!" He huffed as she stopped and turned to him, her eyes rimmed with red, but she was still unbelivably beautiful.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
Her voice was just as lovely. The man coughed slightly as he slowly took out a black breif case. "I am your mothers lawyer, she had left her will with me." "With you? You look so young--." "I am 32." He said quickly, Sakura looked quite baffled. "Oh. You look 29ish." The man smiled, wanting to ask her age. "I am Liang Xhaou. Pleased to meet you...." He paused and was rewarded with a small laugh and her name. "Sakura Li." Liang smiled, his handsome face breaking into a grin. "Yelan left you something, if you want, we can talk about this over a cup of coffee." Sakura shrugged, looking a bit sad.   
"Are you Lian Xhaou?"  
  
A brusque husky voice asked curtly. Liang looked confused and came face to face with cold amber eyes. "Well yes... how may I help you?" "I'm Syaoran Li." He answered, coldly, not looking at Sakura. "Ah... Sakuras brother, my my, both of you look NOTHING alike." Sakura bit her lips and stared at the floor.   
  
"Of course." Syaoran replied. "The will?"  
  
Liang sighed, a bit dissapointed in not being able to talk to Sakura alone. "Yes, The will. Bring along your sister. There is much to talk about."  
-At the Cafe-  
  
He swept back a lock of messy brown hair irrataitedly as he sat next to Liang and Sakura. Liang was looking at Sakura besottedly and Sakura looked very, uncomfortable.  
  
'Little whore.'  
  
Syaoran thought darkly.   
  
"Let us talk." Liang said brusquely, giving Sakura a large white teethed smile, making her blush. He took out some important papers from his briefcase and laid it out before him. "Mr. Li, I'm afraid there is some good news and bad news for you." Syaoran quirked an eyebrow and tilted his head. "How so?" Liang cleared his throat, his eyes turning a wintery blue as he took out his silver reading glasses. He looked truely sophisticated.  
  
"You inherited half of the Li estate which your mother owned, you have also gotten some of the stock which your mother has left behind in the market."  
  
Syaoran rose a eyebrow, something was missing.  
  
"How about my mothers company?"  
  
"Ms Sakura gets the company, and the other half of your estate."  
  
Syaorna knew it already, but judging from Sakuras shocked face, she had not. "M-m-m-e-e?" Sakura asked, stuttering. The lawyer nodded. Sakura stared at her hands. 'How could I run such a sophisticated company?'   
  
"Yelan left you some private letters." Liang said as well, taking out a pink envelope and a green one. "The green one is for Syaoran, the pink on is for our lovely Sakura." Sakura nodded abd took it. "You might want to read it later. Yelan told me to tell you she would perfer that."  
-Later-  
Sakura slowly paced about the mansion, a new responsiblility on her shoulders.  
  
'But why me?'  
  
Sakura could'nt understand why the company was given to her when Syaoran seemed to be better off then her at taking care of a company. Her hands clutched the pink envelope tightly, and slowly, with sweat soaked hands, she opened it. A off white stationary slid out, smelling faintly of vanilla.   
//My Dearest Sakura...\\  
  
If this is given to you, I must be gone into the world of the dead. Do not cry for me. I am glad to have rest, and I'll see you there soon. My sweet good hearted Sakura, stay good and caring. Take care of my company, follow your heart, never your deciving mind. Be slow to anger and let it not cloud your judgement. Your smile made me happy, it brightened up my world more then anything else. Although I have many things to be grateful about... from you... I have one favor to ask. Take care of my son. You are his sister. If you can make him happy, then I'll be happy up here in heaven. Look under the sink of the blue bathroom, there is a secret nook there and there is something for you there. I love you lots.  
  
//From... Yelan\\  
Sakura smiled gently as she put away the things, a bit eagerly, she ran towards the bathroom, switching on the lights while groping blindly for the small crack where her special "something" may be. Her hands met something cold and hard. Eagerly Sakura yanked and she heard a slight crack. From the dark emerged a beautiful golden necklace in the shape of a sun. It seemed to be glowing with its own light as she held it up in awe.   
  
"It's beautiful... mother. Thank you."  
  
Closing her eyes tightly, Sakura hugged the golden chain to herself and smiled faintly. She got up, she had something to do.  
Syaoran held the letter in his hands, his eyes looking shocked and sad, yet his bitterness did not yet dissappear. His shaking hands held a letter in his hand...  
Dear Syaoran,  
  
My son, my pride... my joy. If this is given to you, I am no longer in this world. I know there are many things you must hate me for, though I could not understand all your bitter thoughts and words, I could see why. You were hurt. It was fathers death wasn't it? Your insecurities were worstened when I brought in little Sakura. I love her too Syaoran. But I love you. I loved you ever since you were born and put into my hands. Your eyes, so much like mine twinkled back at me when you yawned and stretched out, you were the most beautiful and wonderful thing in my life. If you didn't know how much I cared, I could understand. There was something between you and me, and I never got across it I guess. Syaoran, please, take care of the clan and every body there who trusts you. Come home. You are the rising sun as I set and turn dark. You are my hope and my pride. Always remeber that I love you. Even when you yelled at me, your eyes glinting with that strange chaotic anger, I forgived and loved you. As I am writing this I feel my limbs become weak, death is very near. I am not to be taken yet till I get to see you. I hope I get to see you after this letter, maybe things will change? I dreamed day and night that you would return from Japan. Sometimes I would decieve myself and hear you talking in a room, but it is only the wind. Syaoran, when I'm gone, listen to the silence and I'll talk to you. I'm sure you have much to do, but take some time. I love you. Promise me one thing. Take care of Sakura for me. From many things I could ask you, I ask you this. She will teach you more then you think she could. She isn't that bad. She knows you're not that bad either. I am weary, I shall close this letter and hope for you coming soon.  
-Love-  
  
Yelan Li  
Syaoran felt tears well up in his eyes as he carefully folded away the paper. His mother had loved her. He was a fool. He struggled to keep his tears in, knowing fully well that tears were a sign of weakness. 'No, I won't cry.' Syaoran said with determination. He blinked a few times and was suprised to hear his door bell ring. Who would be here in his summer home? Nobody knew he was here yet, except for Meiling and... He sighed. The last thing he needed was his possessive cousin glomping and hindering him. He slid the paper underneath a cushion on his sofa and walked to the door, opening to find someone he least expected.  
"Sakura..."  
  
Syaoran stared, flabberghasted. "What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice had a hard edge as he moved to close his door. She stuck a tiny foot in the gap before it closed and gave him a weak smile.   
  
"I came to talk to you."  
  
Syaoran smiled rather coldly. "I don't want to talk to you." Sakura muffled a groan of fusteration, this man was fusterating. "As my brother, you should try to listen to me, act like my brother for once." Sakura said rather brashly, making Syaoran wince as Sakura kicked open the door. He was suprised, she had a good kick.  
  
"Get out." Syaoran growled, but she ignored him, skipping into his summer home.   
  
"Wow." She breathed. "Its large and spacious and handsome!" She spun around a few times and stopped, frowning, ignoring Syaoran look of dissapproval.  
  
"But it looks... it looks so..." She snapped a finger. "Empty and dark."  
  
Syaoran turned a dull red as he looked around, suddenly concious of his few sparse but expensive furniture and dark tones. He didn't like overly lighted places. "Get out." He said gruffly, he wanted to seize her and demand her to leave and ask WHY she was loved more then him.  
  
"I wanted to talk." Sakura said, she turned around swiftly and met him, he was suprised, she was pretty tall, her head reached his nose slightly, and he smelled a light crisp scent of grapefruits and strawberries wafting from her. "I don't." Syaoran said brusquely as he grabbed her arm firmly and ushered her to the door.  
  
She shook him off angrily. "Why are you so angry and selfish?!" She demanded, her voice rising. Syaoran felt rage boil within him like a hot furnace. "Why are you so nosey and goody two shoes? Pleasing everyone?" Syaoran snapped back. Sakura glared at him, making his draw back, she never glared at anyone before.   
  
"Mother loved you. You killed her with your cruel words that didn't really mean what they did in your heart."  
  
Syaoran scoffed. "Mother loved ME? A selfish little boy with no father?" His voice became darsh and bitter as he continued. "Of course she loved you, you were a girl with a smile always on your face, you would'nt know how I feel because I--." Syaoran stopped, his face pale but his eyes large and angry.   
  
"GET OUT!" He roared, Sakura stood her ground.  
  
"NO!" She yelld back, her eyes stubborn and her feet fixed firmly on the ground beneath her.  
  
Syaoran really never hit a girl before.  
  
**WHACK**  
  
Sakura fell to the floor, holding her face in shock. Syaoran stood before her, breathing heavily.  
  
"Get out." He said softly... dangerously, his eyes glittered with a temper that would make the most bravest men cower.  
  
Sakura slowly got up, something gold glimmered around her throat and hung from her throat, and slid down her shirt, hitting the ground with a soft thump, but Sakura didn't hear it, she was too shocked as she stared up at Syaoran, tears streaked her face.  
  
"Is this what you did to mom?" She asked quietly, her voice quivering. "Mother said you were a good person, but I don't belive her. Why would a good person do this to someone? Especially to someone who loved you? Like ma?" Sakura slowly wwalked backwards, tears falling. "You are so lucky and you don't know." She said, her voice lowering and turning deep with emotion.  
  
"At least you still have a real family, I don't, my only family died. My mother and father abandoned me, I don't have anyone to talk to anymore. The only one who loved me died. What do you do? Sit here and bawl over praticually nothing, I might've gotten the company, if that's what your angry of, but I don't have what I really want. She's dead Li!" Sakura used Syaorans last name, shouting it out into the dark large house. It echoed. "Its a last name that doesn't belong to me." Sakura whispered, she whirled around, tears running down her face as she ran out the door, into the streets.  
Syaoran was shaking as he sat down. Her words struck her hard.  
  
...At least you still have a real family, I don't, my only family died...  
Syaoran felt old memeories rise and fall inside him, twisting, burning him with guilt and resentment. All the resentments he had against Sakura made sense now... Shame burned within him slowly as he realized she had a right to want and to have these things, as for him, he lost his right the moment he had yelled and killed his mother. He sat heavily on the floor, his hands covering his face.  
  
'Father why did you leave me? Why did you confuse me and embitter me so much that I've hurt people that don't deserve to be hurt? Father, if only you were here again... Mother, forgive me...'  
  
Syaoran let out a deep sigh, his eyes closed as he pictured his fathers darkly handsome face and his mothers beautiful face... and a face which flashed with hurt... a sparkle of green.  
  
'Sakura.'  
  
He opened his eyes. She didn't deserve it... but it had been done. Sakura had everything he didn't, and he envyed her. She may not have a family, but she had a heart.   
To be Continued....  
Special Thanks:  
  
RayMisha  
hyperdevil213  
kawaiitenshisakura  
girlangel  
silverkey90  
azn-angel  
Danielle Ngo (I love ur reviews. LOL)  
xxwolf pupxx (Hahaha, my loyal reader, hope ur still loyal. @_@)  
Dorkaliciousviet  
sakurachick03  
aznyugiangel  
shina and tempis  
-Heavens-angel  
Yuki-rabbit  
me  
sakura_free_Spirit  
enchanted winter stars  
winged gaurdian  
  
Without you this story would'nt have gone very far, its only chapter 3, but there will be more. ^^;  
  
-peony  
  
THANK YOU and remeber to REVIEW! Make me happy! 


	4. Can you Understand?

Title: This is Not Enough  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter Title: "Can you Understand?"  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Ccs!  
  
A/N: Hahaha, thanks for the reveiws! =) This story *IS* S and S. I'm making the plot more original then most peoples. So, the relationship between Syaoran and Sakura will never be brotherly and sisterly. You will see how it turns out. ^_^  
  
--Story Start--  
  
Tear fell down from those large eyes as lush and beautiful as the green rolling meadows of paradise...  
  
Tears traced the high cheek bone and left a hot wet trial of salty tears and rolled down to the perfectly sculptured chin and dripped down, hitting the ground and shattering into many diffrent drops of water. Gently those tears hit the green grass beneath the tall womans feet, traveling down till the tears dissappeared into the forest of green and brown.  
  
Another dry and deep sob echoed across the vast garden.  
  
The moonlight shone and played with the light brown hair of the woman kneeling underneath a large willow tree, the grass carpeting the area benethe her feet were crushed by her weight. A gentle breeze swept up the light brown locks into the air as the woman gently opened her eyes, revealing large and shimmering eyes of green.  
  
'Why mother, why leave now? Why leave me such a responsibility?'  
  
Another tear fell.  
  
Sakura stopped weeping, sniffling slightly as she brought the hem of her large flowing night gown to dab her eyes. Yet a slight smile graced her face as she looked up at the night sky. The stars winked at her cheerfully from the midnight black velvet night sky.  
  
'Mother is that you?'  
  
Sakura blinked as two stars seemed to blink at the same time.  
  
"I wish you were here." Sakura said outloud, she held her hands to her chest as she got up slowly and walked off the green grass onto the grey cobblestone pathway leading to a small pond. "You took in a abandoned child like me." Sakura swept up a hand to the sky in a strange gesture. "I swear, I'll repay the god above for bringing such a loving mother to me." Sakura twirled around the garden with an invisible partner, it was strange. The cool night air seemed to kiss the wet tears off her cheeks and dry her eyes as she smiled up at the sky as she hummed a tuneless melody. The stinging in her cheek from the blow was gone, and was replaced with a light pink hue. But the pain was fading. Sakura learned how to handle pain. Pain was temporary.   
--Syaoran--  
  
Syaoran drank another cup of wine. The spicy and vivid smell of the drink made him feel a whole lot more human. He had drunk just enough to be sober, he would not let himself get drunk. He held within his hand a small picture frame of silver. His eyes had a rather gentle look in them as he held the picture with quivering hands.  
  
'Mother. Father...'  
  
A happy couple holding a small child with dark chocolate brown eyes looked up at him, smiling. One tall young man had dark chocolate brown hair, similar to the childs, but had large grey eyes. His face was strong and a child-like quality shone from it. The man's eyes looked strong and wise however, his tall stature towering over the beautiful woman next to him. Yelan stood next to Xiahou De Li. There was a bright smile on her face, a smile he had never seen since Xiahou De Li had died. Her light brown hair and dark chocolate brown eyes stared back at him, her beautiful thin and small face looking at Syaoran, who was viewing the picture, with a twinkle in her eyes. The little boy himself had a huge smile on his face, his eyes large and dark, his face childish and beaming with a happiness that was quite foreign to the current older version of the boy now. Syaoran closed his eyes, letting the picture fall down on the table with a thump. He opened his eyes after a long time, a strange pain in his eyes as he put away his wine. Suddenly he spotted something gold glimmering on the floor.  
  
'A necklace?'  
  
He approached it and stopped. He recognized it. It was his mothers prized possession. The necklace given to her by his father, Xiahou De Li. The golden sun charm lay there, enticingly.  
  
'But why is it here?'  
  
His hands approached it slowly and he held the cold metal within his palms. Why was it here?  
  
Suddenly he remebered a glitter of gold and a loud clank... A flash of teary emerald eyes... and the wound of a door slamming.  
  
'Sakura...'  
  
He stared at the necklace.  
  
'Why of all people does Sakura have this?'  
  
Syaoran suddenly remebered his mother, talking to him long time ago when Sakura was away at school.   
  
"Syaoran." His mother had said fondly. "Remeber this? Our family treasure?" Syaoran had stared at the enticing peice of gold. "Yuh huh, father gave it to you." "I'm thinking of giving it to someone who would need me more then anyone after I am gone." Syaoran remebered he had reacted violently.  
  
"You will never be gone mother, never ever. Don't talk like that!"   
  
He was naive, he never thought his mother would go away, he never thought his father would go either. A strange pain clamped about his heart. Of course, Yelan had given this item of special value to Sakura. The one who needed it most. But what had his mother given to him? Nothing. But then, he didn't deserve anything. He should give this back to Sakura. He really should. He held it gently in one hand, as if weighing its value, and stuffed it in his pocket.  
  
'I'll give it to her next time.'  
--Next Morning--  
  
  
  
She knew she had to get to buisness, although this buisness was really stressful, she would do it. She dressed and got ready for the first day of work. The first day as boss. She walked quickly down the large company hallway. She knew this company by heart of course, she had come here and went alot of times long ago. The long light brown hair glistened in the hallway lights as her high heeled shoes clacked against the well waxed floor.  
  
"Hello Ms. Li."  
  
"Hello."  
  
That was the 5th time she had been greeted this morning. They had bowed and left quickly. Feeling a bit stiff, she had replied or bowed her head stiffly and was relieved when she finally made it to her office.  
  
  
"Omigod I thought I would never reach this place." Sakura said outloud. With a loud sigh she sat heavily on the black plush chair near her and breathed in deeply. A female voice chuckled at her right, making Sakura bolt upright.  
  
"So this is our new boss."  
  
A voice, tinted slightly with a rather foriegn litle said. Sakura turned around quickly and met eyes with a beautiful female. Her long purple hair reached her waist and her large purple eyes shone with merriment. Her skin was fair and her body alignment was perfect.  
  
Sakura turned red as she felt a sudden embaressment. "I-i-i-i..." Sakura stuttered. The woman waved a hand. She was perfectly clad in the most fashionable dickens suit.  
  
"It's fine." The woman answered. "My name is Tomoyo Fleur, nice to meet you. I am your secretary." Sakura blinked and sighed with relief. "You won't tell anyone about my..." Sakura gestured frantically, feeling silly. "Ah, no I won't." Sakura heard that accent again. "You aren't from around here are you?" Tomoyo shook her head. "No. I am from France." Sakura heard the musical lilt in her voice and connected it to the beautiful heritage of the french.  
  
"Ah. Let's get started may we?" Sakura said brusquely, wanting to feel more like the boss she was. Tomoyo laughed a silver bell laugh. "Yes Ms. Li, let us get started."  
--Syaoran--  
  
Syaoran rang up the phone number to his mothers home. No. Now it was Sakura's home. The telephone rang for a long time and there was an answering machine.  
  
*Nihao! This is Sakura! I'm not home currently, if you can kindly leave a message I'll get back ta ya as soon as possible-- HOEE!*  
  
There was a sound of a loud crash a a slight moan  
  
*Is it off ye--*  
  
Then there was the beep.  
  
Syaoran felt a grin tug onto his lips for the first time in a long while. He hung up, feeling guilty and his tugging grin fell. He sighed as he sat back, he was feeling way to depressed, staying at home wasn't doing him any good. He got up and slung a jacket over his shoulder. He suddenly stopped. Of course. Wei would know where Sakura was. Wei knew everything. Wei was suppose to take care of his family, his butler. But he had sent Wei away during his mothers death, he simply had wanted to be alone. He dug his cellphone out from his pocket and flipped it open.  
  
"Wei." He said into the phone, the phone bleeped and dialed his butlers phone number, after a number of rings a gruff voice answered the phone.  
  
"Wei speaking."  
  
"Wei, this is Syaoran."  
  
"Ah, master Li."  
  
Syaoran nodded to praticualy nobody. "Listen Wei, Do you know where Sakura might be at this moment?" "She is at work sir, at the Li Company." Wei sounded mildy curious as he spoke, but he didn't question Syaoran. "Ah, thank you. How do you know this?" "I drive her Master Li." Wei answered. Syaoran said his farwells, and headed for his car.  
--Somewhere in Tokoyo--  
  
A dark haired man, tall and lean stood by the door and shook his head as another line of girls, ranging from 18-22 stood before him.   
  
"No no no!" Tory said rather angrily. "None of them are my sister! They don't look anything like my mother! Shimatte!" The man threw down his briefcase and loosened his tie and blew the bangs out of his eyes. The girls before him all had green eyes and a assortment of brown hair, but they were all fakers or just not her.  
  
"None of them are my sister! Send them out!" Tory roared, a bit irritated. The tall butler next to Tory hurried them out, looking anxiously behind him. The door closed, leaving the man alone in the room.  
The mans name was Tory Kinomoto, one of the richest bachelors in Japan. Although he was tall and handsome, and seemigly had everything he wanted, his eyes had a rather hollow look to them, a haunted look. He brought his hands up to brush back his straight locks.   
  
'I told you I would find you, I was suppose to take care of you, I promised mother I would...'  
  
Tory bolted up as the door opened, revealing a rather sshort man with silverish blonde locks and large glasses framing his rather delicate and feminine face.  
  
"Tory, I brought there pork buns for you!"  
  
Tory looked up at his half brother, also his best friend. It was a bit ironic because his stepmother was far from *his* best friend.  
  
"Ohayo Yukito. What are you doing here?"  
  
"I heard your search was fruitless..." Yukito suddenly looked sad. "Gomen ne." Tory laughed rather harshly. "Nah, its not your fault Yuki..." His eyes became misty and sad as some old haunting memory swelled up at him. Yukito sat down next to Tory and proceeded to eat the pork buns in his hands.  
  
Tory barely looked at him. He could only remeber a pair of green eyes...  
  
**Flashback**  
  
A small girl was looking at him, her windblown shortly cropped brown hair blowing in the wind. She usually was smiling, but today... she was crying. Tears spilled over her cheekbones and she was holding a dirty stuffed animal to her chest.  
  
"Come inside Sakura!" Tory yelled, fusterated. A smaller version of himself marched forward, grabbing her hand. Sakura's face was pale and almost elf like as she stared at her brother with tear filled eyes.  
  
"Oniichan, I saw Mother! I did I did!" Tory's eyes were sad but he had to be strong. He had to protect his sister. "Sakura... shh... mother is dead." They hugged each other tightly, because as far as they knew, they were the only ones who understood each other.  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
"God damn it, Pearl is a bitch." Tory muttered as his eyes hardened. Yukito stopped eating, a frown etching across his smooth forehead. "Don't bad mouth your step mother, she's my mom you know." Tory's eyes darkened. "She never liked me or my sister." Yukito looked sad. "Yes, she's bitter." Tory sighed. "She caused the death of my father, and threw away my sister. Now my sister is gone." Yukito closed his eyes adn rubbed the bridge of his nose slightly. "Tory, don't be bitter, it doesn't suit you. I'm sorry about your sister dissappearing... But Pearl is my mother." Tory got up stiffly and grabbed his briefcase and flung his tie onto the chair at the corner.  
  
"Tell Pearl I won't be home till 12."  
  
"But she'll beat you!"  
  
Tory snorted. "Let her try! I'm not young anymore."  
  
Yukito was quite. 'But Tory, you were never able to hit ehr back, she had somethine over you, she has a strange spell over you that even I can't understand.'  
--Sakura--  
Sakura really really liked her secretary. Immediatly they were good chums. Tomoyo and Sakura chatted while they worked on their presentation and worked on getting down the stock market prices and the latest trends down on paper. As you see, Li Company was a fashion company and designed clothes and accessory's. Tomoyo took up this job in hopes of becoming a designer herself. But the dream had yet to come true. Sakura smiled as she arranged the papers neatly and put them away in her folder, locking them in a safe.  
  
"So Tomoyo, you want to go out and eat?" The woman smiled gratefully but declined. "I'm sorry, I have to meet my fiance..." Sakura laughed akwardly. "Oh, its ok." Tomoyo smiled brightly. "Maybe you can meet him on the way out!" The both slipped on their coats and opened the door, only to see a handsome young man with dark brown hair holding up his knuckles getting ready to knock.  
  
"Syaoran?!" Sakura gasped.   
  
The tall man rather looked nervous as he swept his hand through his ruffled hair. But his face was emotionless as he looked at Sakura.  
  
"Listen Sakura, I have to talk to you alone."  
  
Tomoyo's eyes swept in everything, Syaoran's rougish good looks, his cold emotionless face, his black baggy jacket and his comfortable kahkis and his cream colored sweater with a crisp yes a bit crinkled hem sticking out from the neck. She looked at Sakura and wiggled her eyebrows. But Sakura's expression was far from friendly, she looked... scared.  
  
Tomoyo looked at both of them and gave a bright smile.  
  
"Aiii, I have to go anyways Sakura, Later!" With an innocent look she walked off but Sakura grabbed her upper arm.  
  
"Tomoyo, don't leave me here with my brother."  
  
Tomoyo's eyebrows went up so much it almost flew off her face. "WHAT? You two look nothing alike!" Sakura sighed and the tall handsome man named Syaoran glared at her. "Tomoyo, it's a long story..." Syaoran gave a rather fusterated growl.   
  
"Look Sakura. Here."   
  
He shoved the golden necklace into Sakuras hands and Sakuras mouth dropped open in the shape of an "o".  
  
"Mother gave this to you I assume. I don't know why she did, but it's yours and I want no part in it."  
  
Sakura frowned slightly as Syaoran stuck his hands into his pocket and smoothly walked away. 'The nerve.' She thought angrily, but her hands clasped tightly around the necklace. Tomoyo butted in. "Is that your hated older brother?" Sakura snorted. "Yeah." But the look in Sakuras eyes were sad although her voice was rather bitter and rough. Tomoyo had a strange feeling about those two. "You guys look nothing alike." Tomoyo said again cautiously. "Good thing." Sakura said bitterly, although her eyes spoke diffrently.   
  
'I wish he would act like a brother.' Sakura thought sadly.   
Syaoran walked a few paces away from them and rounded a corner when he heard them talking.  
  
"Is that your hated brother?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You two look nothing alike!"  
  
"Good thing."  
  
  
Syaoran flinched a bit but knew she had every right to say that about him. His steps slowed and he came to a stop and stared at the blank lighted ceiling. The noise of people talking, machines humming, and feet and papers shuffling was heard faintly in the vaugely quiet room. He heard footsteps behind him and turned slighty. Sakura stood there with Tomoyo and Tomoyo left quickly to the door to the right. His car was in the front so he had to go to the left hallway. But something held him back.  
  
Sakura turned towards him and her eyes widened and she looked trapped. Syaoran walked towards her, not knowing what to say. "I-i-i-i..." Sakura stuttered. Syaoran decided to make it clean and quick.  
  
"Sakura, I'm sorry."  
  
Sakura froze and stared at him open mouthed.  
  
"I should'nt have hit you." Sakura's eyes softened for a vauge second. 'Maybe he has a good side?' She didn't know. But Syaoran, who looked quite uncomfortable shifted his feet and coughed. "That's what I came to tell you. Good bye." His voice became wintery and he turned quickly. But Sakura saw an opening. She knew that Syaoran wanted to talk, and no matter how much he had hurted him, she would try to understand, for Yelan's sake. She grasped his arm.  
  
"Let's talk."  
  
A flicker of relief and fear went through his eyes before it setteled back down to the frosty blank brown glare. "Alright." He said, trying to sound reluctant.  
--At a resturant--  
  
Sakura was treating Syaoran to lunch. It was switched, totally opposite. A guy was suppose to treat a female to lunch, but Sakura firmly insisted. Syaoran wondered how she could be so sweet to him when he was so mean to her. She seemed to glow with a strange beauty which even awestrucked him. And he was seeing it for the first time. This time he didn't let his own resentment get in the way.  
  
"I want the soup special please." Sakura said quickly, "With water." Syaoran raised and eyebrow, "I would like some salad and some of that grilled cheese sandwhich." The waitress, who kept giving Syaoran the "look". Syaoran gave her a cold look but the waitress, a blonde, kept staring at him. Sakura smiled polietly to Syaoran.  
  
"Do you want to talk about anything?"  
  
Syaoran didn't answer, he recieved his coffee early, so he stirred it with his tiny elegant silver spoon. His reflection looekd backa t him as he looked down, unable to look up at the person he hurt the most, other then his mother.  
  
Sakura smiled with a strained look and looked down at her hands. Their silence lasted till they got their food. Sakura silently sipped her water and dipped her bread in soup. Syaoran looked up at her and supressed a rather folorn sigh. He didn't know why he agreed. But there was one thing he wanted to ask her. Actually, many things.  
  
"Sakura." He said quietly, making her look up curiously.  
  
"What did my mother see in you that was better then me?"  
  
Sakura was silent. "She didn't see anythign better then you in me. Sakura said finally. "She saw strength other then my weakness." Syaoran snorted. Sakura looked at him with her glimmering and luminous green eyes.  
  
"Syaoran, I am not better then you. You just refused to talk to her and understand her..."  
  
Syaorans eyes flashed angrily.  
  
"Oh, so it's all my fault?" He asked rather calmly, but his expression could even make the strongest man on earth cower. Sakura didn't cower however.  
  
"Remeber? She would talk to you and you would curse at her and throw her out of your room and lock your door and leave and party at your friends house till 12?"  
  
Syaoran slammed the table with a fist, drawing everyones attention.  
  
"Sakura..." He growled.   
  
Sakura continued, feeling rather less burdened and exhilirated. "And you know what? Mother would be waiting for you till then, she would be sitting on the sofa, not eating till you came. Even after you threw her out of your room and cursed at her, she never said one bad word about you."  
  
Syaoran felt cold and hot all over and his facial expression changed from serene, to anger. A dark cloud was forming above his head.  
  
"Are you finished?" He asked coldly.  
  
"No!" Sakura retorted, feeling rather brave.  
  
"Yes you are." Syaoran growled, getting up. 'Why the heck did I come?!'  
  
Sakura jumped up with him. "Syaoran! I only want you to be the person she said she saw underneath all that bitter coating!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Syaoran roared, everyone at the cafe was staring, mouth agape, at them. "You think you know me? You think mother knew me? She didn't talk to me much! She didn't care enough!" "She did care you never listened! And I know you more then you know! We grew up in the same house together for a good portion of our childhood and teenage life!" Syaoran had enough. He stomped away, but Sakura followed him.  
  
"Did you hear me?!" Sakura screamed, feeling hysterical, tears were starting to form.  
  
"No!" Syaoran yelled, holding his hands to his ears and glaring at her.  
  
"Syaoran! I can try to understand if you can udnerstand me! We are the same in some ways! Both of us don't have parents and both of us had something that embittered us in the past!"  
  
Syaoran slowly brought down his hands and faced away from Sakura. He had a dark thought within his head. Was she right? Or wrong? Memories flashed through his head. Memories which had made him the way he was today.  
  
**Flashback**  
  
"DADDY!" a small boy with brown hairs cried out, tears streaming from his eyes. The coffin rose high in the air as the people in black carried it away and lifted it into a black car. "I think we should keep Syaoran away from this." Yelan said gently, though her face was pale her voice was strong. The elders stood behind her. "Tch." One of them said gruffly. "Li's are not suppose to cry, Syaoran stop crying! Tears are a weakness!" Syaoran sobbed, rubbing his hands across his face. "I want daddy I want daddy!" Yelan hugged her son gently. "Shush... Daddy will see you, one day... again..." One of the elders were harsh, telling him the straight out truth.  
  
"Your father is dead son. He is gone forever and won't come back. He is in the valley of the shadows."  
  
--A few days later--  
  
"Mommy?" Syaoran asked, holding agreen blanket. Yelan's eyes were blank and she kept on wringing her hands endlessly. She looked as if she didn't see him. "Your father should be home soon." Yelan said faintly. Syaoran tugged his mothers sleeve. "Mummy I saw a ghost, it was daddy." Yelan yanked away, her eyes far away. "Daddy isn't dead, he'll be back... He'll be back..." Yelan's hair had a little bit of grey streaked through it, and circles were under her eyes. She looked cadaverous, almost like a living skeleton. It was scaring Syaoran. "Mommy won't be leaving too right?" Syaoran asked. Yelan responded with a loud sob. "I want to join you Xihaou De... I can't do this alone... I'm all alone..." "Mommy mommy! You have me!" Syaoran implored. Yelan shook her head, her eyes dazed. "No! I don't have anyone else! I have no son!" Syaoran felt as if he was hit as he stepped away from his mothers weeping figure. What had happened? This wasn't his mother! Someone must've taken his real mother away...  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
After a few weeks she got better, but it left a scar within Syaoran. Syaoran nursed the bitter hatred for days and days... weeks and weeks.... months and months, year after year. But then, what was one fathers death compared to being abandoned and left out in the streets? None. Slowly he turned around.   
  
"Someday..." Syaoran said slowly, unable to say anything more, he swept past her quickly. Sakura stood there staring after him. She had seen his eyes, there was something other then hate in it now... She sensed it. Coonfused, she stepped back inside to pay for the uneaten food.  
Syaoran ran all the way to his car and opened the door and closed it tightly behind him. A dry sob wracked his body and he closed his eyes.  
  
'Sakura... how can she be like me?'  
  
His hands clenched into a tight fist.  
  
'How can sweet Sakura be anything like me?'  
To be continued...  
  
A/n: Yahoo! Tory came out! ^_^ You will see what will happen... soon enough anyways... Anyayz! REMEBER TO REVIEW! READ AND REVIEW! Thank you!  
  
Special Thanks!!  
  
-Night Child (You see, her real Oniichan is elsewhere... LOL. ^_^ Thanks for being a faithful reader of mine!)  
-Kawaii-cherrywolf (Aw, sorry I made you cry, but a good story needs emotions ne? Thanks for the review! =D)  
-Winger-Gaurdian (Keep reviewing! Thanks for staying with me throughout this story!)  
-Dark Cherry (Syaoran will find his happiness, but he needs to earn it as well. ^^)  
-Animegrl breezy (Ok! ^_^)  
-DorkaliciousViet (Thank you! =D)  
-Danielle Ngo (Thanks for ur review, it is very encouraging! ^^)  
-Anime obsession Fantasy (Thank you!)  
-xxwolfpupxx (Thank you. ^_^ I'm glad it was worth the wait! Hope this one is just as good!)  
-Shima and Tempis (Thank you for ur rating, made me smile! =D)  
-sailorgirl686 (Thank you! I'm glad u liked it so much!)  
-Alexa (Hahaha, he is a bit snobby right? He'll get better ^^)  
-Angel Bear (Thank you thank you! ^^)  
Please remeber to review! (My cold got better! ^^ I can talk normally now!) Review!!!! REVIEW!!!! ^_^ Hope you lyked this chapter! 


	5. Help Me

Title: This is Not Enough  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter Title: "Help Me."  
  
A/N: Sorry for the late update. I was busy. ^_^ Hope you like this chapter. This one has less drama... at least I think so. I have this huge writers block and I'm a bit tired. Well. Read and Review! Please! ^_^ It makes me happy!   
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Clamp owns CCS.  
His steps were brisk and precise, the creak of the door echoed about the large room as he came inside his house. It was a grandoise house, large and richly decorated. The dark figure of a man stepped cautiously up the stairs, but the lights snapped on, momentairaly blinding him.  
  
"You're late, again."   
  
A sharp voice said to him. Slowly, the tall young man turned around to meet the eyes of the venomous creature who spoke it. A small yet slender aging woman stood by the kitchen door, her greying locks were dyed blonde and her yellow eyes flashed angrily. She rounded on him and slapped his face.  
  
The man didn't say anything, not even flinching.  
  
"You're late, I told you to be home precisely at 10!"  
  
"I had buisness." The man said coldly, the woman humped haughtily and glared at the tall man with ebnoy locks framing his face.  
  
"You should be glad I didn't kill you when I had the chance Tory Kinomoto!" Tory didn't flinch at all, he looked away coolly, without a word, he went up the stairs.  
  
"Tory I have something you want! If you want it back! Then you better not do anything drastic!" The woman yelled shrilly as she whirled around and slammed the kitchen door with a bang.  
--At Sakura's Mansion--  
Sleeping soundly, Sakura curled up into a tight ball, clutching the warm pink covers against her.   
  
'Sakura... Mother is never coming back...'  
  
A voice in her mind told her, a comforting arm went about her and she looked up at the blurred figure.  
  
'I saw her I know I did!'  
  
The taller boy hugged her tightly... and she sobbed into his shirt. She felt at peace, but an underlying sorrow made her wake up. Tear flooded from her eyes as she faced reality. The sun crept across the hardwood floor as she got up, wiping her tears away. It was 8:00 am. Today was Saturday so she had a break. Sakura stretched and could'nt shake off the feeling of comfort from the dream she had. But who was the mother she was talking about? Was it Yelan? But then the taller boy seemed to be someone she didn't know. It could'nt be Syaoran. She shrugged it off, maybe it was one of her strange and bizarre dreams with no meaning. She got up slowly and yawned, she heard the loud gonging of her doorbell, a hideous sound to her ears in such a time as this. Wincing, she rubbed her eyes as she stumbled downstairs.   
  
"Yes?" Sakura asked, yawning slightly as she opened the door, her eyes widened.  
  
"Tomoyo?!" She squeaked. The tall elegant girl with purple hair smiled. "Hello Sakura, I just came to visit!" Sakura squeaked. "I'm not ready yet! I just woke--" Tomoyo giggled. "Don't worry, my boyfriend is here but he won't be looking at you." Sakura groaned and opened the door, hiding behind it.  
  
"Come in, but I'll be RIGHT back! Ok!" Sakura hurried up the stairs, huffing as she got to her bathroom and quickly cleaned up.  
Tomoyo smiled as she looked around the well furnished house. It was large, spacious, and grandoise in every way possible. There were two large stair cases going up, and the living room was as large as a ball room. Tropical foilage and flowers bordered the room, in a large corner was a beautifully crafted coffee table with leather couches ligning around it. Tomoyo took a seat there.   
  
"You can come in now Eriol." Tomoyo said loudly, smiling as her tall, and darkly handsome boyfriend entered. He was tall and lean, pale and handsome in a aristrocrat way. He was elegant with his dark navy hair and his large sophisticated silver rimmed glasses. Dressed in a dark blue suit, he entered and sat besides Tomoyo, fidgeting, but managing a cool look. His eyes were dark and mysterious, his face pondering and a curious upturning of the lip at the ends marked a bit of humor on his rather severe face. Tomoyo held his right hand with her left, squeezing it. "I just want you to meet my new friend, a.k.a boss." Tomoyo whispered. "She said she was going to help me become famous!" Eriol nodded solemly, his eyes far away as he stared at the wall, an impatient look clouding his handsome features.  
  
Sakura stumbled down the stairs, attempting to pull on a white sweater.  
  
"Hoe! Gomen nasai for keeping you waiting!"   
  
"It's ok!" Tomoyo said brightly, getting up. "Sakura, this is my boyfriends, Eriol. Eriol, this is Sakura."  
  
"Oh... Hi!" Sakura said, turning beet red. Eriol really was good looking, and she felt her heart fluttering in her chest. Eriol's eyes slightly widened with awe at her beauty. It was strange, her beauty shone from within her, from those eyes. Although her face and body were very desirable, the first thing that your eyes would be drawn to were those two sparkling luminous eyes.   
  
"Nice to meet you." Eriol said polietly, kissing the back of her hand. Sakura flushed and drew away quickly. Eriol gave his fiancee a half smile. "You never told me your friend was nearly as beautiful as you." Tomoyo haughtily threw her long hair over her shoulder. "From how you look at her, you're besotten with her already." Eriol scoffed. "Come Tomoyo, you know I won't like anyone else but you." Tomoyo gave him a dazzling smile. "Right." She said.  
---In Syaoran's Summer Home...---  
  
Syaoran tossed and turned in his bed, he had pulled down the blinds and drew his covers over his head yet those accusing words did not fade from his mind. Finally, he gave up and threw the covers off of him.  
  
"She's nothing like me! Nothing!" Syaoran yelled into the large vast space of his home. His own voice echoed back at him. As if on cue, his phone rang. Grunting, he got out of bed and snatched up his phone.   
  
"Hello?"  
  
"This is me! Remeber me?!"  
  
A high piping voice with a slight southern accent rang through the line. Syaoran groaned silently to himself.  
  
"How'd you find my phone number?"  
  
"Oh... that doesn't matter, You're back in China I heard! That's great! Do you want to come with me and--."  
  
"Sorry Rachel, I'm busy." Syaoran said coldly. He quickly hung the phone and sighed. He kept changing his number but this girl was like a stalker. She somehow found out his new phone number and never gave up... The phone rang again. He knew who it was, he stalked over to the wall and yanked out the phone line, leaving only dead silence.  
  
'Much better.'  
  
Syaoran sighed and stretched a bit. He would have to return to Japan soon, with his stock... he wasn't going to stay at the half of the home which was his. He checked his wall clock and chucked his green silk shirt off his body and prepared to start a new day. But those words still rang in his head, 'We are the same in some ways!'   
--At the Company--  
Sakura observed as the models walked down the platform, wearing a variety of clothes made by her company. A tall male model walked in front of her, posed, and blew a kiss at her. Sakura sweatdropped as he walked away with a manly gait. Sakura sighed. "Tomoyo, you're right. We need a better style then this. I mean, this is trite... not to be mean to the other fashion designers, but we just need something new... something... classy..." Tomoyo nodded, her eyes bright. "Well, Sakura, I sketched and created some of the clothes here..." Tomoyo handed Sakura a sketchbook. Curiously Sakura opened it.   
  
"Whoa."  
  
Sakura stared at the clothes drawn there with such merticulous care. "This... its... it's just right!" Tomoyo flushed at the compliment. "Oh, thank you." Sakura smiled and a question mark popped from her head as Tomoyo shoved something into her hand. Tomoyo winked.  
  
"I made this in dedication to you and it's only right if you wore it on got onstage."  
  
Sakura started to stutter. "W-w-w-what?! But I'm not a model! I can't even walk like one! I have to sit here and help my other clients--"  
  
Tomoyo lightly stomped her foot. "C'mon Sakura, please? Just this once?" Sakura sighed, for a strange reason, even though she had only been friends with Tomoyo for a short time, she felt as if she should'nt refuse. She felt herself giving in.   
  
"Well... alright then!"  
  
Sakura took the clothes and pointed out several instructions to her employees, and dissappeared to change.  
--With Syaoran--  
  
Syaoran sauntered inside the company, he wanted one last look at the company before he left it. It could've been his, but Sakura took it. Instead of the usual boiling anger, he felt a strange tiredness and let out a resigned sigh. He heard loud music blaring from the show case downstairs where his mother used to have the models strut their stuff to practice before they had a meeting with other companies. Curious to see how things worked out, he peeked in the door. Models strutted their stuff down the walkway, a instructor was shouting instructions to the models as they walked past. Syaoran's eyes widened as he saw someone walk down the walkway.  
  
Her steps were unsure and premature.  
  
Yet she was stunning.  
  
Dressed in a tight fitting silver dress with designs embroided about the flamboyant hem... she was like an angel sent down from heaven. Her adburn hair cascaded down her back in ringlets and was styled so half her hair was up in a silver bow. At the end of the walkway, Sakura gave a rather shaky spin and a really adorable pose before she rushed off stage. Syaoran stared intensely at the figure hurrying away. There was a long silence in the room. It was a stunned silence. Syaoran slowly walked into the room and bumped into a rather flushed Tomoyo, whose eyes were sparkeling gleefully.  
  
"Oh, hello Mr. Li!" She said cheerfully.  
  
"Hello." Syaoran said distractedly, looking around for Sakura.  
  
"Are you looking for Sakura?"  
  
Syaoran looked rather startled. "Wha-- no!" He said quickly, he gave her the best glare he could muster during that time and left the room quickly.  
  
  
  
---With Sakura---  
  
Sakura walked out of the large building quietly, her eyes distant and thoughtful. She had a contract to make with a man from Japan... a big company called Nadeshiko Plans. It was in a few months and she was nervous. If she ruined it then, then all would be ruined. A bit distressed, Sakura didn't notice that someone was standing directly in front of her. They collided.  
  
"Oops!" Sakura squealed, stepping back quickly, muttering a thousand sorry's at once.  
  
"Oh, it's ok." A gentle kindly voice said quickly. Sakura looked up and blinked. Light brown met green. The slightly taller man with silverish grey hair smiled brightly, pushing the glasses up his nose. "I was the one a bit distracted.... I should be sorry... Miss...."  
  
"Li." Sakura squeaked. Those eyes hypotised her.   
  
"Oh..." The man smiled. "I'm Yukito Kinomoto." Sakura gasped. "The head of Nadesiko Plan?!" Yukito made a wry face. "No, second in commad. I had to come here in Tory's place, he said he had no time to do this and sent me to chat a bit about our contract before I head back to Japan."  
  
For a strange reason Sakura felt warm and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink.  
  
"Oh, Ok..."  
  
'Strange...' Sakura thought to herself, briefly looking at Yukito one more time. 'He seems familiar... his face... and his voice... but I can't pinpoint it...'  
  
"How about Yumi's Resturant?"  
  
"Sure!" Sakura said quickly, not wanting to dwell on her thoughts.  
  
'Maybe I like him?'  
  
Sakura wondered. She never really liked men before... but... this person was... diffrent. She could'nt explain how. But.... it was exhilirating.  
---With Syaoran---  
  
Syaoran wanted to curse at himself. He felt like an idiot, gawking at his step-sister! His face grew warm at the thought. He scowled darkly. He was suppose to hate her, yet this small twinge of... something more kept making him... a softy. Something his elders never wanted him to be.  
  
'Li's are strong and fearless...'  
  
Those words echoed through his head as he remebered his turbulent and dark past.  
  
'Tears... wanting of love... all this are trifle to a clan's honor...'  
  
That was why soon... his elders would appoint a family member as his wife. Someone with pure Li blood. His shivered at that thought, it made his skin crawl. He had given up his hopes of ever thinking and dreaming about love. He wasn't a real romantic person at heart. Feeling were hard for him to express, since his clan tried to supress the dark emotions which Syaoran had when he was younger.   
  
He was a young boy, hungry for love and comfort.  
  
Yet they wanted something else.  
  
They never knew that Syaoran had so much anger and fusterations pent up in him... They never knew what went through his head, and Syaoran didn't know much about himself either. Since his elders hid his true self away. Suddenly, the anger came rushing up through his veins, burning... scorching...  
  
**WHAM**  
  
He punched the brick wall next to him and the brick crumbled a little bit... and his knuckles started to bleed and signs of bruising showed through it.  
  
This anger...  
  
He had hid it and used it all out on Sakura.  
  
He wanted her to wilt... just like he had...  
  
Yet she was somehow stronger... like a flower... no matter how the wind blows, the flower gracefully moved back and comes back up again... like the reeds...  
  
He had hated her for that... and more. Something he couldn't comprehend.  
  
But now, a stranger feeling has risen in him. He wished to see Sakura again. This time, he wanted to be diffrent from what he was now. He wanted to show her he was caring. Be a real older brother to her. This change in his heart... was triggered by more sorrow... and the wanting of someone to understand and to be there even if he was angry. And the only person who was there was beautiful gentle and ever patient Sakura.  
  
He heard the door open, and knew, somehow, that it was Sakura. He hesitantly turned the corner and looked up, trying to let loose words that were hard for him to say.  
  
But, Sakura was with another person.  
  
The taller man with silver hair gently lead a rather flushed Sakura towards a car...  
  
Syaoran's lips grew thin and he felt a horrible headache coming. A strange sense of betrayal engulfed him, he tried to control the anger surging about his veins... but this time... for a strange reason... he let it go. The anger... became a bitter need to hurt someone... brutally. He did not understand himself, he felt confused and rather bewildered as he started to march angrily towards the car.  
--With Tory--  
  
Tory knelt next to a large mound... two mounds actually. They were next to each other... a sakura tree in full bloom next to them. The green mounds were decorated with loose sakura petals... and the fragrance of something fresh and floral floated about the strangely peaceful site.  
  
Tears fell from Tory's eyes.  
  
They hit the ground lightly... like raindrops...  
  
"Mother.... Father..." He said hoarsely, the usual strong and arrogant eyes were soft and vunerable as he stared at the two gravestones marking the grave. "I still didn't find her... it's been 9 years... Mother... father... I can't find her... I can't find little sister." His voice shook as he closed his eyes, letting the ray of sunlight lightly hit his face... A gentle breeze combed his hair.  
  
"Why did you leave when you did? Sakura is gone mother... father... I will never see my little monster again...."  
  
Tory gulped down his sorrow as he took in a deep uneven breath.   
  
"Why can't you help me find her? I can't... is she dead? Show me a sign!" His voice became spiteful and angry. "If she's dead why did you let me live this long! Why did you pitiful dead spirit come and protect me from a blissful death?!" His voice rose in volumn as he yelled at his parents... and the sky.  
  
"I can't keep my promise! How can I protect someone who I can't see! How can I hope to become something when I am nothing?! WHY DID YOU LET HER GET HURT!"  
  
His angry voice echoed through the graveyard.   
  
A gentle coo of a dove made Tory sag. His eyes weary.  
  
"Mother... I see you in dreams. I try to reach you. But I can never touch you.... I see Sakura in my dreams. But she runs away.... and she laughs at me... and then... I watch her die a 1000 painful deaths... and the murderer? It's Pearl..."  
--Yukito's car--  
  
Yukito's gentle slender hands revved up the engine. Sakura sighed as she ran a hand across the dashboard.  
  
"Is the boss of your company nice?"  
  
"Yes. He's nice to people he cares for."  
  
Sakura nodded slowly.   
  
There was a long silence and Yukito started to back up...  
  
"What the hell?!" Yukito cursed.  
  
Someone yanked Sakura's door open and dragged her out. Sakura screeched and clawed at the attacker and heard a sharp intake of breathe and a hiss of pain.  
  
She saw a familiar pair od dark brooding eyes...  
  
"S-s-syaoran?"  
  
He stared at her strangely, his eyes were blank and a flicker of confusion went through it.  
  
Yukito lept out of the car and looked at Sakura with worry. "Are you ok? Whose this?!"  
  
"That's Syaoran Li, my step-brother."  
  
Yukito stared at Sakura. "You mean Syaoran Li?"  
  
"Yes..." Sakura started but a hand roughly grabbed her arm and dragged her away.  
  
Syaoran seemed to have a hard time controlling himself as he brought Sakura to his car.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Sakura demanded.  
  
  
"I need to ask you something." Syaoran said rather hurriedly, his eyes were frantic. "I can't control myself." He said rather helplessly. "I want you to help me."  
To be Continued...  
A/N: YAY! My 16th birthday is this Sunday! ^___^ Here are some thanks I'd like to give to ppl who gave me inspiration!! My lovely reviewers!  
  
*~*Special Thanx*~*  
  
-Ying-Lin Hu   
-Sakura Chan  
-LOL   
-AnimeObsessionFantasy  
-GirlAngel  
-vnrose04  
-ScarletRose  
-aznangel  
-animegirl breezy  
-Shima and Tempis  
-Yuki-Rabbit  
-TKB  
-Sakura + Syaoran Li   
-Danielle Ngo  
-ac4cherryz  
-crystal-chan  
-silverkey90  
-hulaberrie07  
-seashell  
-lynn  
-kimichan  
-Dark-Lighten-Shadow  
-xx wolfpup xx  
-Athar-Luna  
-Kawaii-CherryWolf  
-AngelBear  
  
Remeber to Read and Review! R AND R RIGHT NOW! ^_^ More coming... since Spring Break is almost here I have more time. ^_^ Oki? Till then! R and R!  
  
-Peonyqt1004 


	6. A start of something more

Title: This is Not Enough  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter Title: "Realizations... a Start of Something more"  
Dislcaimer: I do not own CCS.  
  
A/N: Hewwo everyone. Here's a new chapter. This is great. ^_^ I'm getting lottsa reviews for this story and it makes me wanna write more. It's a good thing! Um... I know some mistakes are in this one, someone offered to be my editor, I will think about it... I'll sned you an email about it... I didn't forget or not read ur review... Oki dok! ^_^ I'd like to thank everyone for their support and their reviews. Taking about 5 minutes to write me a review makes my day a whole lot better. ^_^ Thanks everyone who wished me a happy birthday! Hehehe. ^_^ Made me feel special. LOL.  
"Realizations... a Start of Something More"  
  
  
  
"W-w-w-hat?" A shrill high pitched voice asked in shock.   
  
Syaoran suddenly seemed flustered, and his face tinted into a dark shade of red, but he looked up at her squarely and sighed.   
  
"I'd like it... if you'd talk to me."  
  
Sakura blinked and frowned, sudden anger rose within her.   
  
"HOW COULD YOU?" Sakura asked shrilly, the events which had happened to her suddenly crashing down on her. Confused, she glared at Syaoran. "You think you can just grab me and talk to me whenever you want? You think I'll talk to you after dragging me away from the second boss of Nadeshiko Plan and embarassing me like that?!" Sakura stopped and catched her breathe, gasping a bit as she faced Syaoran. Syaoran's amber eyes flickered with a strange intense dark flame... and hardened.  
  
"Fine. I don't need to talk."  
  
Syaoran turned quickly and proceeded to walk away briskly, humiliated and angry.   
  
"Wait!"  
  
A hand grasped his arm.  
  
He shrugged her hand off roughly and looked straight ahead, his eyes dark and stormy.  
  
"I said wait! Syaoran!"  
  
Sakura ran in front of Syaoran and stopped him by grabbing his arm firmly with both hands.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get mad at you. Let's talk."  
  
"I don't need to talk with snotty people like you." Syaoran retorted. Sakura's green eyes looked determined.   
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
She suprised him.  
  
Her small and slender arms snaked about his waist and her head rested against his chest... Her hair spilling out against him in waves.  
  
The sudden contact made Syaoran stop and blanche.  
  
"Syaoran... you're having a hard time. You never asked me for help before. I want to talk to you."  
  
Syaoran frowned and tried to push her away, but once his hands made contact with her shoulders... he felt himself weakening and found himself embracing her back, a bit stiffly.  
  
"I'm sorry." Sakura said, her voice muffeled. She pulled away first, smiling. "That was the first time you actually hugged me. Oniichan. Want to go talk at my place?"  
  
Syaoran was a bit stunned, his mind reeling. yet he yearned to feel that strange feeling again. The sweet and bitter taste... taste of something he couldn't put his finger upon. His mind sceamed at him to refuse, but he found himself stuttering a vauge...  
  
"O..ok."  
---With Yukito---  
  
Yukito frowned. That girl. Sakura Li. Her name sounded much like his best friend also known as his half brothers sister. Sakura Kintomoto. Every detail fitted the description that Tory had given to him. Yukito twirled a ballpoint pen around his slender fingers and reached for his drawer and withdrew a picture. A picture Tory had given him to find his sister.  
  
A small dark haired boy with a even smaller girl stood near a large mansion, the wind ruffling their hair.  
  
The girl had large green eyes and light adburn hair.  
  
Just like Sakura Li.  
  
The only diffrence was that Li had long hair and the girl in the picture had shortly cropped hair. But... the sparkel in her eyes. It was the same. It had to be Sakura Kinomoto. He took out a magazine called "Fashion Pro" out from his drawer... Sakura was on the cover, making headlines as she became the new owner of the Li Fashion company. He carefully cut the picture out and lay them next to each other. Impossible. Yet they were the same.   
  
The young child like face with the bright naive smile.  
  
The only diffrence was the strange grave sadness in the older Sakura's eyes.  
  
'This has to be her.' Yukito thought with excietment. He took the pictures and lay them on his desk and rang up his cell phone quickly.  
  
It seemed like forever till a familiar dark husky voice answered.  
  
"Tory! I found your sister! Sakura!"  
--- Sakura and Syaoran...---  
Sakura watched Syaoran closely. His face was well gaurded and a cold expression was on his face. Trying to be cheerful she grinned.   
  
"Oniichan, the elders assigned you a wife right?"  
  
Syaoran suddenly looked gloomy. "Uh hmm." He answered dully, absent mindedly stirring his coffe as he sat on Sakura's velvet couch.  
  
Sakura bit her lower lips, not knowing what else to say. So she looked to her left and stared at the larg portrait of a lovely woman with a prince holding her hand. Sakura had brought it our of a rather fanciful whim. Smiling faintly, she turned and caught Syaorans eye. He had been staring at her strangely. Sakura cocked her head and he looked away quickly, his teeth clenched strangely. He spoke.  
  
"Sakura. How did it feel... Knowing your parents abandoned you?"  
  
Sakura blinked quickly and her eyes became distant.  
  
"I felt... empty." Sakura said slowly, not wanting to dwell on it. "Most of all, I felt abandoned."  
  
Syaoran nodded, his eyes staring at the coffe before him.  
  
"I thought they hated me. But then. I think I'd rather imagine who my parents are." Sakura said happily. "I know Yelan was a wonderful mother. But I imagine my mother and father to be wonderful people. My mother a beautiful young woman with dark curling ebony hair... my father a handsome man with my color hair." Sakura had a dreamy smile. "My father would wear glasses when he's reading... he would be wise and handsome. He would care for me and my mother alot. My mother would sing me a lullaby at night... and I would imagine I had an older brother to call oniichan. With dark black hair. He would protect me and we'd have fun together." Her eyes were dreamy and far off. Syaoran felt a pang of guilt. He was far from the older brother she had wanted. He also felt a little bad. She didn't know her parents. He, at least, got the pleasure, or displeasure, of knowing them.  
  
Sakura snapped back to reality and smiled at Syaoran. "What about you? Did you ever feel as if your parents abandoned you?"  
  
Syaoran felt a bit uncomfortable, but Sakura's large green eyes were compelling, and he wanted to tell her. It was a struggle at first, till it just bursted after a few stillborn sentences.  
  
"Yes. My mother didn't care for a son. My father left me here alone in this world with a mother who didn't want me. My elders only want me to be here to keep the blood line of the Li's going and keeping family honor and tradition. I was taught never to show feeling, they pounded any human feelings I had left out of me."  
  
He closed his eyes, his chest tight as he finished what he had been holding back for a while now.  
  
A gentle hand held his hand.  
  
"Syaoran... Your mother cared about you. Your father died because death is inevitable... and your elders... they never knew how you felt about this situation."  
  
Tear threatened to fall from Syaoran's eyes as his past remeberance came from his mind.  
  
When he had cried for his father a month later, claming to have seen him... the elders had beat him and forced him to say that his father was not there... and to keep him from crying.  
  
'Crying is a weakness... a crack in a strong foundation.'  
  
A tear fell...  
  
Then another.  
  
An alien sob rose in his throat.  
  
A comforting hand touched his cheek... and two glimmering understanding green eyes looked back at him...  
  
He collapsed in Sakura's arms, unable to keep his composure. He wept. The tremendous amounts of pain, sorrow, and anger coming out in torrents... at long last.   
  
Tears swept him clean, and Sakura held him.  
  
  
--At Yukito's condo--  
  
A tall beautiful aging woman with silverish blonde hair and large blue eyes with a sharp and a rather coy look to them briskly walked to her sons room. She had flown here to check up on her son. The door was open and she was rather tired. She wandered about the large condo. She sighed and flicked her hair away from her face and sat on her sons office desk and looked about, satisfied with her sons living quarters.  
  
'He is living well. That's good.'  
  
The woman winced as something sharp and thin dug into her thin dress, she slid down at plucked at the object and found two photos. There was a cut out picture of a beeautiful woman with large green eyes and brown hair.  
  
She sniffed haughtily. 'He never told me he was besotten in a girl... but this girl... she looks familiar somehow...' She quizzically stared at the picture with cold calculating eyes before she looked at the other picture. Her heart thudded to a near stop and she gasped as the picture fluttered to the floor.  
  
It was that blasted girl she had gotten rid of.  
  
Sakura Kinomoto.  
  
The daughter of the wealthy Kintomoto's... the only daughter... born by his first wife... Nadeshiko.  
  
Her hands started to shake as she suddenl knew why the girl on the picture looked familiar.  
  
It was Sakura Kinomoto.  
  
All was ruined if she was to be found.  
  
Everything.  
  
She gasped and tried to keep her heart steady. She was so sure she had killed Sakura. She had grabbed the child in the middle of the night and beat her till she was half concious and threw her on the side of the streets... it was that fateful day. It was raining... and...  
  
Pearl closed her eyes as she remebered those green eyes.  
  
'Just like Nadeshiko's.' She thought venomously.  
  
Venom rose in her mouth as she stared at the pictures with hate. That childish smile... that innocent look. She hated it. She hated Nadeshiko's daughter. She hated Nadeshiko's son. She had murdered Sakura's father to gain property of his land. She had tried to kill Sakura to make room for her son's inheretence... she kept Tory to prove herself innocent. But if Sakura returned... and she regained her memory. All would be lost. With quick thinking she knew her son would go find Tory... and locate Sakura. She had to keep Tory's mouth shut. It was time to use her secret weapon.  
--Tory--  
  
Tory couldn't belive what Yukito had told him. His steps were quick and even, and he tried to supress that hopeful lurch in his heart as the plane he was riding in lurched upwards... towards China. Towards Tokoyo. Where, hopefully, his green eyes sister would meet him.  
  
'Mother. I am one step closer in finding my sister... your daughter... my only real family.'  
--Tomoyo's place...--  
The artfully designed room decorated with tasteful light lavender drapes and a variety of purple flowers was lightly scented with a light sugary plum smell. Smiling, Tomoyo looked at her job application. Sakura had promoted her to be one of her fashion designers, and Sakura... Oh, Sakura, her new best friend, had made it so she would enter the designing contest next year. Sighing happily, Tomoyo placed her papers on the desk and sat down on her dark black leather couch and pulled up the morning paper.   
  
'Nothing interesting...'  
  
Tomoyo flipped through the pages and sighed. She threw the papers down, she was so impatient for her job to start. She really wanted to chat with Sakura. Tomoyo got up and sprang towards her drawers, which consisted of elegant and sophisticated wear... and a few sweats and baggy t-shirts. She slipped on a french styled blouse and black pants, she wanted to ask Sakura to be her model while she designed a dress she had in mind for quite a while now. The door bell rung. Tomoyo smacked her forehead. Of course! Eriol said he would visit! Hurrying, she almost tripped as she yanked open her door.  
  
Eriol, dressed neatly in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt, walked in. He looked rather peturbed, and his black shirt was wrinkled.  
  
"Eriol?" Tomoyo asked. "You can sit down... while I go get something to eat..."  
  
"It's ok... Sit down Tomoyo."  
  
Tomoyo quickly sat down and smiled at her handsome boyfriend. But something was bothering him.  
  
"Is it your artwork? Did no buyers bid for it?"  
  
Eriol sighed and shook his head. "No, it's not that." "Then what is it?" Tomoyo asked, she took out a large silver platter and uncovered it, revealing a pile of minty pastel candies. Eriol looked appreciative as he took a handful and gulped it down.  
  
"I think we have to cancel our wedding day and set it back till next coming spring."  
  
Tomoyo looked shocked.  
  
"Again?!"  
  
Her voice rose shrilly as she glared at her boyfriend. He brushed his hair back with the back of his hand.  
  
"I can't help it. A few traveling artists want me to go travel with them for a while. They are really good... and... I won't let up this oppertunity now, this is a great chance for me to study other peoples art and become greater--."  
  
"But this is our third time! Eriol, you did this last time with diffrent reasons!"  
  
"I said I was sorry Tomoyo..."  
  
Tomoyo felt prickiling tears come from her eyes.  
  
"Why are you delaying it? Do you not love me?"  
  
Eriol frowned. "But this is for me. Tomoyo, I'd thought you'd understand."  
  
Tomoyo shook her head violently. "No. I don't Eriol. Fine. I don't want a husband or a fiancee whom I never get to see... whom I'll never get to raise a family with! I'd rather die then give my children that sort of life. You never thought about me did you Eriol? I was too giving."  
  
"I'm asking you to give again..."  
  
"No. Eriol. It's over. Get out. Let us break our engagement. I'm sick and tired of you leaving and cancelling things." Tears ran down Tomoyos face. "I've been abandoned one too many times now."  
  
She pushed a protesting Eriol out the door and slammed it shut, locking it. She ignored his yelling from the other side and turned on her TV real loud. He had left her once or twice before. This time. She wasn't going to let him just push her around and hurt her like this again. Then something caught her eye... On the newspaper... which she had thrown aside a few minutes before had a picture on it which compared her to stare.  
  
It was an ad about a missing child.  
  
A child... who looked very much like someone she knew.  
  
She couldn't place her finger on it.  
A small girl with windblown hair, smiling at the audience brightly... her hair was shortly cropped... her face small.. child like... naive... pure.  
  
-=Missing for a long time. Should be around twenty's now... Name: Sakura Kinomoto... Hair color: Brown... Eye color: Green... Blood Typer: A... Reward: $100,000=-  
'Wait a second... Sakura...' Tomoyo's eyes widened... and then she shook her head. 'No, Sakura belongs to the Li family. It's impossible. It's just a coincedence that they look slightly the same...'  
To Be Continued...  
  
=Some Information to Know:  
  
Eriol: He is an Artist for a living.  
  
Tomoyo: She worked as a secretary, now she is a designer.  
  
Syaoran: He works in a diffrent company from his own, he is the boss.  
  
Sakura: The Boss of the Li company.  
  
Yukito: Second to only Tory, he helps runs the Nadeshiko Plan Company.  
  
Tory: He is the legal heir to Nadeshiko Plan Company.  
  
Pearl: She is the ambitious step mother to Tory, she does nothing but leech off of her sons money.  
A/N: Ok everyone! ^_^ Thanks for reading! Read and Review! Taking a few minutes to encourage me would do me alotta good!  
  
*~*Special Thanx*~*  
  
-Sakura chan  
-Gwen (My mind ... ? O_o)  
-Athar-Luna (^_^ He pulled Sakura out cuz he was REALLY jelouse...)  
- Anime Obsession Fantasy  
-Sakuratenshi89  
-Yuki-Rabbit  
-silver key 90 (I would'nt mind if u emailed me...)  
-Mimighost  
-Rebecca  
-Kawaii-Cherrywolf (Hehehe, sorry! ^^)  
-Darkcherry (Its up to Sakura to save Syaoran, LOL)  
-animegirl breezy (Wut u mean wut have i done to Syaoran??? Im confused...)  
-lizzy  
-ac4cherryz  
-Doggie ear demon12  
-Sakura Li + Syaoran Li  
-Shima and Tempis  
-kelseu  
-kawaiitenshisakura  
-mei (Thanx ^^)  
-abc (Syaoran is a good man at heart... hehehe)  
-seashell  
-best person to ask (LOL)  
-t (Thank u!)  
-Danielle Ngo (Go mah wou- Means thank you in Korean ^^)  
-Girlangel  
--crystal-chan  
-twilight-sister (You gotta read to find out ^^)  
-kawaii*cherry  
-Illusion dreamer  
-xx Wolfpup xx (Hehehe, thanx. I'm having a big writers block in war beat. @_@)  
Remeber to read and review! READ AND REVIEW NOW! OMIGOD, everyone, thanx for the reviews, it makes me feel so GOOD lol. 


	7. Hatching Plans

Title: This is Not Enough  
Chapter Title: Hatching Plans  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
Disclaimer: No, I do not own CCS.... *Sigh*  
A/N: Sorry for the delay... I had a writers block... and I had to plan some stuff ahead of time. =D Some of this is prolly influences by this new drama video I'm watching with the good looking Lee Byung Hun in it called "All-In". ^.~ Only a small amount though. =D Well, read on. It sux cuz I started this chapter off badly, but I hope you can understand... This is sorta suppose to build up and this build up, in my opinion, is sorta boring. =D But this chapter isn't... just the making... so = Read and Review! Please!   
--From Where We Left Off---  
The sobs subsided and there was a long silence. The warm arms around him shifted and moved away. He felt dissappointed that she had moved away, yet, she was his sister. Syaoran got up and tried to regain his composure. But it was too late. She had seen what was inside of him already, and a all knowing look had filled her eyes. Tender and sorrowful. He had been afraid he would find rejection in it... and instead found accceptence.  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
Sakura whispered gently, her pools of emerald glistening with tears.  
  
"Oniichan."  
  
Syaoran winced at that sound. It sounded so... wrong. What did he want? He wasn't sure. But any love was good enough for him. If she loved him as a brother, so be it. He wanted to nurture this love. "Sakura." Syaoran replied. His eyes not quite daring enough to look at her eyes.   
  
"Oniichan. Why don't you move in this house?" Sakura asked cheerfully, looking quite happy. Syaoran didn't know how to reply. "I'm going back to Japan. I'll await the news of my berothed there." Sakura stuck out her tounge and giggled slightly. "Why don't you stay here for a while? After all, half of this estate was given to you by mother." Syaoran didn't know quite what to say. Sakura moved her hands in semi-circles towards his hand, an unsure look on her face, but warm hands gripped hers and she found an acceptence that was never there before. "You'll stay?" Sakura asked, her voice a whisper. Syaoran found himself nodding... she smiled. The world around him tilted and for the first time he found himself giving into her warmth. The smile was contagious. A smile graced his handsome features.  
---With Tory, He has just arrived at the airport---  
  
Striding quickly down the large hallway, the tall ebony haired man with strong features strolled down towards the exit. Hm... something was strange. His eyes darted around, he was suppose to meet Yukito here.  
  
"Tory."  
  
A silky smooth voice with a cold edge crooned.  
  
Tory felt prickles go up his spine as he slowly turned. A pair of cold eyes met his.  
  
"Oh Tory. We have to talk."  
---In front of a cafe---  
  
A fairly tall girl with fair pale skin and dark black hair jiggled around a bit, impatient. Her mother was to be meeting her at the diner today, her mother had some very big news to tell her. Her red eyes darted to her watch and back up again. A familiar figure, standing tall and august stood out from the crowd. Her mother. The older woman strode towards her daughter. Her hair sprinkled with specks of gray hair... but mostly her hair was the color of a ravens glossy feather. Her large red eyes and delicate nose were similar to the younger girl who waved at her.  
  
"Ma ma!"  
  
The stately woman smiled slightly, her face stern with a purpose.   
  
"Come daughter, we must discuss your future."  
"Meiling..." Her mother said slowly over a cup of steamind tea. The girl looked up and cocked her head to the side. "Yes mother?"   
  
"You are to be married soon."  
  
Meiling spat out her tea and coughed a bit and looked up with watering eyes at her mother.  
  
"W-what?!"  
  
Her mother looked rather calm as she stirred the tea gently with a small silver spoon. "You had heard me correctly. The elders and I have discussed this throughly. You are to be married within a year. To your cousin. Syaoran."  
  
---At Yelan's Mansion...---  
Syaoran found himself bringing his things and moving back into the house that he had left so long ago. The familiar contours of his home made him feel rather warm inside.   
  
"SYAORAN!"  
  
Sakura yelled from afar. Syaoran looked this way and that, yet he could not find her. Where was she? He dropped his load of belongings and looked around with a confused expression on her face, he turned right... then left... and scratched his head. He blew the bangs away from his eyes with fusterations as he marched towards the door leading out.   
  
"WHAT DO YOU WANT---"   
  
Syaoran let out the highest scream he had ever let out in his whole entire life.  
  
A blur of pink and white jumped out at him and yelled, "Boo!"  
  
"I scared you didn't I?" A smug and content voice said rather cockily.  
  
Syaoran gasped for breathe and he glared at the laughing green eyes staring back at him merrily.  
  
"You did not."  
  
"I heard you scream! I didn't know you could hit that high c sharp!"  
  
She broke into hysterical laughter again. Syaoran twitched as his heart slowed to a more regular pace. This was the first time anyone had done a trick like this to him before. He didn't know how to react. "Get up. Stop laughing." Syaoran said gruffily. Her gales of laughter did not cease. Irritated, Syaoran nudged the withering ball of laughter on the floor with his toe. Sakura laughed harder. Irked, he knelt down besides Sakura and shook her shoulders. "Stop laughing! The jokes over!" Her body stopped shaking, and her laughter came to a shuddering stop. Syaoran sighed in relief, his face red with embaressment. Suddenly, Sakura stuck out her tounge at him.  
  
Syaoran didn't know what happened then, but he started to tickle her, he gloated silently as Sakura's eyes became wide like saucers in bewilderment as she erupted in laughter again.  
  
"Stop! Stop!" Sakura said, trying to talk and breathe at the same time.   
  
Syaoran got a rather evil look and shook his head and poked her tummy, making her shriek. He smiled, grinning cockily, he tilted his head whimsically.  
  
"This is my revenge."  
  
Sakura gave a dispairing cry, it was immediately choked off as she started laughing again as he started to tickle her nonstop.  
  
  
--- With Tory and Pearl...---  
  
Tory was shocked.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Don't question me like that." Pearl snapped. She looked rather twitchy, jumping at the slightest sound. She paced before him. "My son told you where she is." She said bluntly, her eyes cold and flashing hard. Tory decided to act innocent.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Your sister."  
  
Tory felt something squeeze his heart. She knew. Cold prickles ran along his back. "What about Sakura?" He asked, his lips stiff, his eyes cold.  
  
"She lives a good life. I suggest that you do not find her. Or you will be sorry. Remeber, Sakura still does not known that she is a Kinomoto. I can kill her Tory, go near her and I'll kill her, as I have done to your father."  
  
Fear chilled his blood.  
  
"You can't." He said, his blood running cold.  
  
"Oh but I can. And I can kill you too."  
  
"You can't do this to me. You've done this before. I won't let you do this again."  
  
Pearl looked at him wickedly, her eyes glinting savagely. "Watch me." She said.   
  
"I will find her." Tory said firmly, not letting his voice wobble. "You will not get to her first, and I will prove that you killed father before you get any chance... your luck will run out."  
  
Pearl's eyes hardened and her eyes held his. "Tory." She said, her voice a deadly whisper. "That was your last chance. Say sayanora to your sister. Tory." She got up, her large gucci black purse at her side. She removed something from it and tossed it at Tory.  
  
"This is who she is. You saw her many times before and did not recognize her. You met her many times. "  
  
Tory stared at the picture before him, his eyes holding a rather dazed look.  
  
"She is the Li companies leader now. You never knew your own sister. Everyday, when you went to make transactions with Yelan Li, you saw her, and you didn't know."  
  
Tory recognized the face immedietly.  
  
"Oh... kami sama..."  
  
"It would be nice..." She said, her voice a faint purr to the buzz around Torys head. "If the news headlines said, 'Sakura Li, owner of Li company, dies at young age'." She smiled smugly. "Don't worry Tory, I will see her myself tommorow, you can't stop it now. Her death is on your head, and after her, you will be next."  
  
Tory's face was pale white. That face. It was familiar. He remebered walking down the hallways of Li's company and meeting the girl, a older teen. He had been a green apple at his job... He had bumped into her... and never knew she was his sister. He had to stop this. But how could he? Pearl always got what she wanted. One way or another.  
--- At Sakura's Company...---  
Sakura walked down quickly, her steps light and quick. She felt as if she could conquer the world today. Her steps resounded as she stepped up the stairs to her office. Smiling to her employees she entered the office, earning a bright smile from Tomoyo. She grinned back and opened the door and literally floated to her chair and sat down. The day passed pretty smoothly, with a few transactions with smaller companies she planned out her biggest fashion show which would be coming up in about a few weeks. She scribbled down the notes. There would be three professional fashion designers from her company and one ameature. Which was Tomoyo of course. She could ruin her reputation if Tomoyo did one mistake. But that didn't matter, Tomoyo was a pretty dependable person, she knew that Tomoyo would'nt let her down.  
  
Sakura looked down the checklist of models. There were three males and five females for each designer. She had hand selected the most reputable and best models to model out in their show. She jumped in her seat when Tomoyo spoke to her over the speakers.  
  
"Sakura, caller of line 2."  
  
"Who is it Tomoyo?"  
  
"Syaoran Li."  
  
"Thank you Tomoyo."  
  
Sakura looked rather suprised but she clicked the line 2 button and was greeted by a familiar warm and husky voice.  
  
"Syaoran!" Sakura's voice did not hide her suprise. There was a low chuckle.  
  
"Hey imoutou. How about lunch?"  
  
Sakura checked her planner and smiled brightly, "I have the time. Ok, but you're paying!"  
  
"Around 3 ok? In front of the building."  
  
"Ok."  
  
There was a brief silence and Syaoran muttered his goodbyes and hung up the phone. Sakura looked absolutely delighted.  
  
'Finally I have an older brother who cares!'  
  
Sakura felt like doing the jig, but was interuppted by another phone call.  
  
"Sakura, another call on line 1."  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"Someone by the name of Pearl Kinomoto."  
  
Sakura cocked her head to the side.  
  
"Ok."  
---With Tory---  
Yukito patted Tory's back sadly. "I should'nt have been so careless, leaving those pictures on my desk." Yukito said sorrowfully. Tory shook his head.   
  
"But... she was there! I knew her before and never recognized her... I thought... since she was my sister... that'd I'd recognize her. But I was wrong."  
  
Yukito smiled sadly. "Tory, don't feel as if the blame should be put on yourself. Sakura had a good life. It's just time for her to find her true family..." Tory shook his head slowly. "But Pearl... Pearl is going to murder her." Yukito sighed. "We just have to catch her before she does anything... and this time, get her in jail for good."  
  
Tory sighed, anguish clearly written in his dark eyes.  
  
'But I should've known... she was right there in front of me...'  
--- With Sakura...---  
  
Sakura looked up, Pearl, the one she had been talking to on the phone, was standing in front of her. Her frosty cold eyes and flawless beauty awestrucked Sakura.   
  
"Please have a seat Mrs. Kinomoto."  
  
Pearl gracioously and gracefully took a seat in front of Sakura. Sakura missed the rather cold and calculating glance she got from Peal as Sakura turned to take out some files. Pearl smiled rather deviously. She had created a perfect alabi. No one would find out. Pearl smiled as she watched the naive girl in front of her talk about ome buisness transactions and other things... But nothing went through to her. Pearl nodded, her sick fantasies floating about in her mind. Sakura would fall into her trap... and Sakura would be rid of. Soon. Just like her father and her mother... Then. Tory. Pearl gloated silently as she faked interest in the stock markets which Sakura brought up. First, she had to gain Sakura's trust. Then. She had to keep Tory away. She knew the perfect way how.  
---Outside, in front of the building---  
Syaoran waited outside at precisely three o'clock. Dressed in a black loose t-shirt and baggy denim jeans he looked handsome standing there with the sunlight highlighting his hair. Sakura waved at her step-brother and jogged up besides him, her eyes shining. She was wearing a white tank top and tight blue jeans that flared and bagged at the bottom, gracefully hiding and revealing the fashionable boots she was wearing. The black leather boots peeked out from the rather frayed ends. Sakura's hair was pulled into a high ponytail, Syaoran found himself once again gaping at her beauty.  
  
"Syaoran?"  
  
Sakura waved her hand in front of his face, puzzled. Syaoran shook his head and blushed crimson.  
  
"Is something the matter oniichan?"  
  
"Nothing." Syaoran said, frowning to hide his discomfort. "Don't call me oniichan, call me Syaoran." He blurted out, he felt like hitting his head on a pole when he realized what he was saying. She was his step-sister for goodness sake!  
  
"Ok." Sakura said, not noticing his discomfort and the hidden meaning of his request. Syaoran found himself looking at her in a way a lover would. Her hair was beautiful and long... her eyes large and green, green like the rolling lush hills that he had seen in New Zealand when he had gone there to visit during his buisness trip... He shook his head when he started to think of her as an angel.  
  
'What am I thinking?'  
  
Nervously, Syaoran fiddeled with his fingers as they got into his car. Sakura's crisp and clean perfume wafted towards him, making him slightly dazed. He shook his head, determined to not act like a lovelorn fool. 'What is happening to me?! I can't love a sister!'  
--- At the Elders Mansion---  
  
A old man motioned for the tall slender girl with black hair to come forward. "Meiling my dear." The elder started, coughing slightly at the effort. "Yes Elder?" Meiling asked, her voice trembeling. "You do know we must try to keep our clan line pure. There has been too many dirty blood in our family, look what has happened... corruption... people leaving their families for riches. We are glad to have you two married." Meiling blushed lightly, but a vauge part in her mind sighed, knowing that Syaoran would not take this news well.  
  
"You must not tell Syaoran till a month has passed. We need to make arrangements... During the month you must try to get to Syaorans good side. You will have a happy marriage." The elder gave a hearty laugh. "After you two marry, I shall set up a marriage with Sakura. She has made Yelan happy, and brought some light into the elders world." The elder coughed and lifted a gnarled finger. "Go now Meiling, your mother and father shall make arrangements." Meiling bowed.   
  
"Yes My elder..."  
  
Meiling bowed and left respectfully, but something nagged at the back of her brain.   
  
'What if Syaoran disagrees...'  
  
Meiling remebered Syaoran rather hard life, she had watched it all. It seemed that whatever the elders told Syaoran to do, he was forced to... Syaoran was always unhappy and had a rather dark look in his eyes as they had forced him to go under laborous training which almost crippled Syaoran when he was young... She had heard him swear he'd never listen to the elders ever again if they were to do something he didn't want to do when he was in the practice room, half bent over by blows from his martial arts teacher who corrected his every step.  
  
'If Syaoran disagrees....'  
  
Meiling felt a sharp pain in her heart.  
  
'Then...'  
  
Meiling stopped thinking.  
  
'Love can be taught. I love him... In time. He will love me as well.'  
  
  
--- In Pearls Red car...---  
Pearl adjusted her make up and her clothes. Dressed in a flashy red dress which fitted her slim figure perfectly, she looked dazzling, her silvery blonde hair put up in a up do.   
  
'The plans about to proceed... if this doesn't kill her. Then my next move shall... this one will only secure her trust of me.'  
  
She looked at the glass mirror and smiled as she saw a familiar figure approaching.   
  
  
---With Syaoran and Sakura---  
  
"Syaoran, the food was wonderful...'  
  
Sakura blabbered. Syaoran smiled at her, his eyes lighting up as he saw her laughing. Mirth shone from her eyes and Syaoran never thought he saw any other girl like her. Sakura pasued and searched through her bag.  
  
"Syaoran..." Sakura began. Her eyes grew wide and her mouth dropped into an "o". "I forgot my cell phone at the resturant!" Sakura moved quickly and waved to Syaoran, who looked concerened. "I'll be right back Syaoran, don't follow me." Smiling broadly Sakura quickly moved off, her hair flowing behind her. Syaoran impatiently ran a hand through his hair and frowned when his cell rang. He opened up his phone, responding to the tinkely tune, and answered.  
  
"Syaoran."  
  
"SYAORANNNNN!" A high voice squealed from the other end, drawing a grimace onto his face.  
  
"Jessica..."  
  
The high voice nearly made him deaf. "Oh Syaoran I just came to China to visit you and I would be so happy if we could meet... maybe... today?"  
  
"Jessica..." Syaoran sounded irritated, his voice tightening. He frowned. It seemed like centuries since Sakura had left.  
  
"Syaoran- I know you want to be with me! Hunny bun?"  
  
Syaoran nearly gagged at her nickname for him and frowned. He sighed as she kept blabbering on and on about her life and what they should do together when Syaoran realized that something was very strange... Sakura still wasn't back.   
---Outside of resturant...---  
  
Sakura grabbed her cell phone and sighed as she left the resturant. She was so happy today. Syaoran had made her day, and she still had a family. Sadness from her mothers death still lingered but the new relationship with her step-brother made things brighter. She still had someone to call her "family". 'Yelan was right... Syaoran does have a soft side... he made me laugh many times today... although he seems quite cold he can be warm at the same time.' Sakura felt the wind comb through her hair and she tossed her hair back like a horse would do with its long mane and stopped, frowning. She just notices that a strange group of people dressed in black was behind her. She shrugged it off. 'Maybe it's a group of people working for a company on a break or something.' She kept walking and hummed to herself. She gasped as rough hands seized her from behind, a hand covered her scream, muffling it.  
  
"Be quiet..." The voice hissed. Sakura felt fear rise up within her but a determined glint lit her eyes, she bit the hand of the attacker and stomped on his toe, drawing a loud groan of pain. She whirled around... it was the group of people dressed in black which was following her from behind.   
  
"What do you want?!" Sakura asked, her voice tinting with that wild taste of fear.  
  
"We were sent to kill you." A man said. His bulk was huge and he was rippling with muscle and dark blue eyes growled. Sakura felt her heart freeze for a moment.  
  
"Who?" Her voice was a mere whisper as they drew closer.  
  
In reply, a man swung at her from the left, Sakura felt the blow and fell down to the ground, her lips bleeding and her eyes blurred.  
  
'No...'  
  
Sakura got up, she didn't know how to fight, but she managed to land a few good kicks on them. She reached up and scratched an attacker on the face. They drew away, Sakura breathed, her body aching from the blows she had recieved.   
  
"Why?!"  
  
Sakura gasped out her question in anguish. There were too many. They would kill her... Whimpers rose up in her throat as another man hit her on the back with a stick, bruising her and knocking the wind out of her. Sakura staggered up and kicked him at the side, making him groan, she clawed at someones face... but she started seeing dots as she saw a flash of silver.  
  
'A knife...'  
  
Hopelessness wrapped about her like a veil. She heard a shriek. There was a familiar face.  
  
"Mrs. Kinomoto?" Sakura asked with swolled lips.  
  
The icy eyes were wide and the woman fluttered her hands. Pearl shakily reached for her cell. "Oh my god! Are you ok Ms. Li?!" Pearl ran towards Sakura, taking out her cell at the same time with wide terrified eyes. A man near her slugged her on the stomache and Pearl slumped over, gasping... her cell phone dropping to the ground. A man smashed it to peices. Pearl gave a groan and was still. Fury lit Sakura's eyes.  
  
"How dare you!"  
  
A man hit her again, blood ran from a bloodied eye. Pain tore through her as she fell, unmoving to the floor. She had given up hope... Tear flooded her eyes....  
  
Her eyes opened wide as she saw a man go flying.  
  
"Damn you stupid son of a bitches!"  
  
There were more thuds and groans.  
  
Sakura looked up and cried out in happiness.  
  
"Syaoran!"  
  
He stood there, his face infuriated, his cell phone smashed on the concrete floor. His eyes flashed dangerously as he tornadoe kicked another attacker on the face, making the man twirl to the ground.   
  
"What the hell is going on here?!"  
  
"Thank god your here!" Sakura breathed as Syaoran drew nearer, his eyes lighting up in worry.  
  
When he reached her side to hold her, she blacked out.  
  
To be Continued...  
A/N: Thank you all for reading! =D Here is a preview of the next chapter... Just a small preview since I have a good idea what to put up next...  
  
--- Preview---  
  
The cold icy look from the beautiful older woman was missed by the cheerful younger one. The young woman with the green sparkling eyes and light brown hair laughed, her face bandaged yet bruised from her attack. Even though she was badly injured, she shone through, like a sun on a cloudy day. The older woman gritted her teeth.  
  
'That face... so much like that Nadeshiko's...'  
  
The young woman laughed brightly, tears of joy and mirth... and relief running down her face as Syaoran and the doctor entered, saying she could go home.  
  
'Soon, those tears will be tears of fear and sorrow... Sakura Kinomoto... You must die... With you everything will be ruined... I cannot let them find you...'  
  
A groan escaped her lips.  
  
'Stupid Greg... he punched me too hard and he broke my cell phone... It is all an act to gain her trust... I will gut Greg for this.'  
  
She watched as the young woman named Sakura got up to leave. The tall handsome brown haired man next to her. The watchful cold eyes calculated the two.  
  
'That young man, there is something about him and her... I must get rid of him. He must stay away...'  
---End Preview---  
A/N: So.. People, you like it? =D Well, remeber to read and review! Read and Review and keep me happy. =D More to come soon!  
Special Thanks to:  
  
Skiviry  
Jezika  
sakuralover  
Yuki-Rabbit  
friends4eva08  
crystal-chan  
Athar-Luna  
S A K U R A  
kyoy  
meinien  
abc  
kawaii*cherry  
kawaii-cherrywolf  
Girlangel  
Dark-Lighten-Shadow  
Mimighost  
sakuratenshi89  
animeobsessionfantasy  
azn-angel  
Shima and Tempis  
xxwolf pupxx (^_^)  
Everyone! Thank you for your patience!  
NOTE: READ AND REVIEW! Just a click of the mouse, a few encouraging words or constructive critisism... (I perfer encouraging words...) and another click of the mouse will make my day. Thank you! R and R!  
-Peonyqt1004 


	8. And Whom May You Be?

Title: "This is Not Enough"  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter Title: And Whom may You Be?  
Disclaimer: I do not own Card captor Sakura... *Sigh* But I still can dream and hope can't I?  
A/N: Thank you everyone for your review, it makes me feel SO much better. =) Uh, this chapter has less action in it then the one before. Hope it's still good, there is much more to come. ^_^ More of Pearl's mind is explored here... The Eriol and Tomoyo plan is hatching, for them, it might not be a happy ending. But who knows, I might suddenly change my mind. =D Please read and review! Thank you!!! Sorry for the sp errors and the spacing errors in this document. I tried to spell check it buy copying and pasting into my word document and using that spell checker but it made everything funky so I stopped using it. =) R and R plz!  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
::This is Not Enough::  
A little girl stood in a bright room with beautiful white walls. A large painting of a cherry tree stood at one side, and the other side, there was a statue of a woman with her arms   
  
Outstretched into the air, as if pleading with someone, its marble eyes were blank. A tall woman with curly black hair... long and flowing stood in front of the small girl.  
  
"Mama!" The little girl cried, holding out her small arms, still soft with baby fat. The tall woman sighed, the little girl noticed the sadness in that sigh and drew nearer. "Ma ma?" That's   
  
When the little girl noticed her surroundings. She was in a large room, lit by the sunlight shining in from outside. The small ray of warmth sneaked up along the floor and lit up the room...   
  
Observant eyes noticed the large fluttering gauzy drapes, which fluttered in the wind. The windows must be open! The little child focused in on her mother again.  
  
"Ma ma... Ogenki Desu mama?"  
  
  
  
The tall woman did not respond, she shuffled her movements towards Sakura; hit the face was hidden behind the long hair. But the voice from the graceful figure was beautiful and   
  
Melodic.  
  
"What is it child? I am ok, now go on to father, he is waiting for you."  
  
"But I want to stay here!"  
  
"Shush child."  
  
The woman looked up, and the large green eyes, which emerged from behind the masses of soft black locks, startled the child.  
  
"Sakura. Listen to me... I want to be alone."  
  
"But... mama..."  
  
The woman broke into sudden tears as she fell to her knees. "I'm so sorry Sakura." The woman said between ragged sobs. The beautiful large green eyes of the mysterious woman were   
  
Shimmering with sad tears. Little Sakura didn't like it.  
  
"Ma, don't cry..." The little Sakura reached into her pocket and took out a mangled flower she had plucked. It smelled of springtime and growth. "Here."  
  
The woman looked up and smiled and took the flower from the girl. "My little angel..." She whispered. Slowly, the woman wiped away her tears and removed something from her long   
  
Flowing white gown. A beautiful silver necklace popped out from its hiding place and came into the woman's hands. The locket sprang open at a slight touch and a beautiful melody flooded the   
  
Room. The woman smiled sadly at the little girl, her slender hands gently stroked the light brown locks of the little girl.  
  
"Remember this song?"  
  
"Yes ma, it's Edelweiss..."  
  
"Remember it as our song. It reminds me of springtime and the day I married your father." The woman smiled but a tear fell from her eyes, hitting Sakura on the forehead. Little Sakura   
  
started to cry. "Mama, stop crying... why are you so sad?" "Don't cry Sakura... shush..." The beautiful woman said, crooning, but sadness laced her voice. Little Sakura didn't know why she was   
  
crying, but tear would not stop coming from her eyes. "Promise me one thing little angel of mine." "If it makes you stop crying I'll pinky swear." Little Sakura said brightly, tears stopping.   
  
"When I am gone... do not cry for me. I will always watch you from afar." Sakura promised but a question rose in her little heart and naive soul. "Why would I cry? Are you going to   
  
visit grandmamma again?" The woman smiled sadly. "Shush angel... it is better for you not to know..."  
  
The scene seemed to melt... and Sakura found herself in the rain... pain aching in her bones. The friendly room she was in before was gone. There was no white walls washed with   
  
sunlight... she was outside. The sky was gray and thunder boomed somewhere around her. She quailed at the sound and yelped as pain shot through her body. She couldn't move. Her eyes were   
  
swollen shut and blood drenched the side of her ribs. The little girl cried out as someone kicked her on the side, mud splattering on her body. She was clutching something within her palms, but it   
  
fell into the mud, and slipped down through the slippery earth towards an unknown destination.   
  
"I want papa.... oniichan... please..."  
  
The little girl cried out, tears streaking her face as some figure kicked her again.  
  
"Stupid wrench. If it wasn't for you your father would've left us something when he died!"  
  
The girl cried out again and saw dots as she was brutally beaten, until she was half concious, her body rolling about... pain arching through her body.  
  
There was a loud smack as something hard hit her on her back. Little Sakura cried out as the rain mixed with her shed blood, and laid still...  
Sakura gasped as she woke up, she almost felt the empty aching pain in her body, but she realized she wasn't in the rain anymore. A deep sadness and a sense of recognition filled her very being as she remebered the very real dream.  
  
"Where am I?" Sakura asked, her mouth feeling swollen. A wamr gentle hand held her down. "Shush, sleep." Sakura smiled, it was Syaoran! But the nightmare she had was so vivid...   
  
Sakura shivered convulsively. Syaoran threw a startled look at her as he felt her shudder.  
  
"Nothing." Sakura replied immediately. "How is Pearl?"  
--With Pearl on the cot near Sakura...---  
  
The cold icy look from the beautiful older woman was missed by the cheerful younger one. The young woman with the green sparkling eyes and light brown hair laughed, her   
  
face bandaged yet bruised from her attack. Even though she was badly injured, she shone through, like a sun on a cloudy day. The older woman gritted her teeth.  
  
'That face... so much like that Nadeshiko's...'  
  
The young woman laughed brightly, tears of joy and mirth... and relief running down her face as Syaoran and the doctor entered, saying she could go home.  
  
'Soon, those tears will be tears of fear and sorrow... Sakura Kinomoto... You must die... With you everything will be ruined... I cannot let them find you...'  
  
A groan escaped her lips.  
  
'Stupid Greg... he punched me too hard and he broke my cell phone... It is all an act to gain her trust... I will gut Greg for this.'  
  
She watched as the young woman named Sakura got up to leave. The tall handsome brown haired man next to her. The watchful cold eyes calculated the two.  
  
'That young man, there is something about him and her... I must get rid of him. He must stay away...'  
  
Pearl leaned back and pretended to sleep. 'After I gain her trust... surely, after me trying to help her she must not suspect me of anything... Then I'll kill her.' She smiled, a flicker of worry came   
  
over her eyes and she sighed. 'I had to get rid of Sakura for the inheretence of the money and stocks... if she returns they will all return to her... I had said she ran away, but if Sakura remebers   
  
the past, there could be more then one charge against me...' Pearl shuddered, she had remebered seeing the little girl standing at the kitchen, watching her with wide green eyes as she poured the poison into the drink she had given to Mr. Kinomoto... Sakura was locked away in a room for a week and starved while her father had been killed. She had dragged Sakura away to keep her from telling her father. Mr. Kinomoto had noticed nothing, his body weary from his travels and his sorrow over Nadeshikos death. He had seeked for Sakura, but Pearl had lied, sweetly, that Sakura was at her friends house and would be busy. He had belived her, being tired as he was, and drank the tea she had given him. The poison was quick but painful. She had watched every single moment of it, and the last look that he had given her before his spasming fell to the ground was the look of pure astonishment and a dawning of understanding and pure fear. Fear for his children.   
  
Fear of her... The posion left no trace, and the autopsy reports reported that he had died from cardiac arrest. Pearl then realized that the will signified nothing about her and Yukito, except that they got one of the summer homes left by the Kinomoto family. She had seen that most of it had gone to Sakura.   
  
For three months she planned everything out. Trying to find the perfect way to get rid of her. Pearl decided to kill her too. But obviously, the beating didn't kill her.  
  
Pearl's eyes were closed yet a vauge sense of human remorse filled her, and a guilt which she shook away. She had seen many killings in her childhood, considering her four siblings before her had been brutally murdered by her father.  
  
'Thank god he's in jail for the rest of his life.' Pearl thought. She escaped by marrying rich Kinomoto. She opened her eyes quickly as the nurse moved to wake her.  
  
"You're fine Mrs. Kinomoto. You may go home."  
--Sakura and Syaoran---  
  
Sakura smiled, wincing. "The bruise is already going away, don't frown Syaoran." Syaoran looked steely ahead, an unreadable expression on his face. Sakura chattered on happily,   
  
trying to smooth things over... when suddenly Syaoran stopped the car, making it come forward with a jerk. Sakura gasped and squealed as she flew forward and back.  
  
"They meant to kill you Sakura. Yet you are so happy. Why are you so careless?!" He demanded.  
  
"I didn't know!" Sakura said defensively. Syaoran glared at her pointedly. "You have to be worried sometimes. The problem with you is that you never take anything seriously. That's what you get. You have no discipline." Sakura frowned. "Syaoran... no one can be unhappy forever, no one can dwell on something bad forever or it'll destroy you." Syaoran looked at her solemly, his eyes sparking anger.   
  
"You can't take life like everyday is a ball. It'll someday kill you. It's the harsh truth."  
  
"Why are you suddenly bringing up this subject anyway!" Sakura demanded, clearly irked. Syaoran didn't answer, his stern mouth turned downward at the ends, giving him a grim and threatening appearance. The rest of the ride was in silence. Not one bright laughter was heard from Sakura as they came to the mansion. Silence was the wall between them.  
(A Few Days Later)  
---With Tomoyo---  
  
Tomoyo idly flipped through the channels and finally turned it off. She got up quickly. She was dressed in a buisness suit, her hair up in a neat and tidy bun. The Fashion show was today and she was as nervous as hell. The doorbell rang and she ran to get the door. Sakura stood there, looking smart in a white suit and a blank tank.   
  
"Tomoyo, get ready, we're going. In style."   
  
Sakura smiled as they walked to a really fancy long limo. Tomoyo looked overjoyed.   
  
"I've always wanted to ride one of these!" She squealed as she stepped into the limo. Sakura grinned and flipped through a large program. "It starts around 8, that is good because we   
  
will probably arrive there around 7. You will have at least an hour to get ready." Tomoyo smiled nervously, she got a reassuring squeeze in the hand by Sakura as the limo started to take off.  
---Yukito and Tory---  
  
"Listen Yukito. I have to see her." Tory announced. Yukito frowned. "I'm not holding you back." Tory glared at him as he withdrew a large program from his breast pocket. "She's   
  
having a Fashion Show today. We should go see it. Considering that the top 10 greatest clothing artists will be there." "Including Sakura." Yukito said smiling. Tory nodded. "Yes, Finally I'll be   
  
able to see my sister... face to face..."  
--- Eriol... ---  
  
Eriol sighed, looking very depressed, his navy blue hair, which was so dark you can almost call it black, hung about his face and his glasses were sliding down the ridge of his nose. A   
  
sad forlorn look in his dark blue eyes. He as dressed in a white dress shirt, which was wrinkeled and slightly worn about the hems. He wore straight black trousers, which accented his slightly   
  
foriegn and unique look. He held a picture of someone in his hands, it was put into a beautiful purple frame dotted with silver moons and stars... in the glossy beautiful frame was a picture of a   
  
tall slender woman with purple hair and pale skin. Her amyrest eyes were laughing, turning it into a deep hue, like pansies, and she wore a light blue dress which clung against her like a second   
  
skin. In the picture she wore a large straw hat and was holding a large tulip. The sun shone upon her benevolently... He could almost smell the dark and mysterious scent of plum and fruits as he   
  
stared at the picture. He blinked many times, his eyes overly bright, as if he was holding something back.  
  
'I had to give you up for my job... I am sorry...'  
  
He slowly brought the picture towards him.  
  
'I could've made it up for you, but you left me...'  
  
His lips lightly touched the glass frame as he kissed the picture of the woman he cherished most... Slowly, he turned and packed up the rest of his belongings... He walked slowly to the   
  
easel standing at the empty side of his room, and took out a brush and started to add tints of purple and yellow as he started his painting...  
--Syaoran...---  
Syaoran sipped tea as he sat in his room, Sakura had left for her Fashion show program and the house felt really empty. But he was used to this empty feeling. He called his company in   
  
Japan, but was relieved to hear that Zachary, his best friend, had taken over and everything was running smoothly while he stayed at where he was. Bored, he flopped onto his bed and stared at   
  
the ceiling. There was a large yellow splotch there. He remebered how he had gotten that splotch...  
  
He had been fighting with Sakura long time ago, and they were fighting over a can of soda... Sakura and Syaoran both had their grips on the can when it fizzed open, turbulent   
  
because of the exess shaking, and it had exploded towards the ceiling, staining it yellow... Syaoran smiled faintly, but frowned, he remebered he had given Sakura a black eye by socking her.  
  
'She deserved it.' He reasoned.  
  
'Yea right.' Said the other side.  
  
Syaoran felt slightly guilty and ran to get a rag to wipe off the stain. After wiping it he heard the doorbell ring and ran to fetch it. Coming face to face with his cousin.  
  
"Meiling!" He exclaimed, suprised. She looked up at him, a faint blush staining her face. Syaoran galred at her. "What are you doing here?" Meiling ignored the look he had shot at her.   
  
"Elder wants to see you." Syaoran cocked his head slightly. "Why?" "He says that it is something for you to find out." Syaoran frowned, puzzeled, and grabbed his coat to follow his cousin.  
---Fashion Show---  
  
  
  
Snazzy lights flashed across the stage as models, tall and thin walked about the stage, flaunting their clothes and flamboyant make up... but there were problems which was backstage.  
  
"Rena Ingels can't come?!"  
  
"Oh no! We're one model short!"  
  
Tomoyo moaned, feeling cold sweat break out about her body. "My first impression is ruined!!" Sakura looked down. "Oh... Gomen..." Tomoyo started to rant as the moment where Rena   
  
was suppose to go up came nearer and nearer. "Who has Rena's body size? NOBODY! Who comes close to her height?! NOBODY, not one of the models could fill in... Rena looks good in this color   
  
and I made is especially fo--." Suddenly a sly look came of Tomoyo's face. Sakura blinked. "What?" "Sakura, whats your waist size?" "Uh, size 0-1... why?" Tomoyo's mouth twitched into a grin.   
  
"What's your height?" Sakura facefaulted. 'Why do you want to know?" "Is it 5'12?" Sakura blinked. "Why... yes..." Tomoyo suprised Sakura, nearly giving her a heart attack when she leapt   
  
forward, grabbing Sakura's wrist suddenly.   
  
"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE PERFECT! YOUR GREEN EYES WILL MATCH PERFECTLY WITH MY COSTUME!!!"  
---Syaoran---  
  
"Yes Eldest one?"  
  
A series of wheezing and hacking ensued. Then a heavy silence pursued it.  
  
"Syaoran Li, Son of Xiahou..." The elder got up, his crinkeled face dark and sullen as he pointed out something in the fairly empty room.  
  
"Do you remeber the necklace that I am pretty sure Yelan has given you?" This left Syaoran blinking rapidly. "A n-necklace? Why in the world--."  
  
"Ahh, so she has given it to the girl."  
  
Syaoran suddenly seemed to understand. "The sun necklace?" The elder nodded. "The necklace of generations, the only key to unlock the wealth of knowledge beneath the floor of this   
  
very house." Syaoran's heart beated faster at the thought. "Knowledge?" The elder smiled faintly. "Yes, the knowledge of many things... it is a wealth, a treasure... Now I see why Yelan has   
  
forseen this and given the key to Sakura. She is destined to be the keeper of the treasure." Syaoran felt his face turn red and his eyebrows began to twitch as a strange tempo beated at the   
  
temple of his head.  
  
"Keeper?"  
  
"She will have our family heirloom. Your only concern now it to make our family name great, and to protect the treasures."  
  
'What is the treasures?' Syaoran wondered inwardly, feeling a sudden hatred to Sakura.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The elder leaned forward, his bottomless eyes unfathomable.  
  
"The treasures are our heirlooms Syaoran. They are priceless... Centuries old. There are many books there too, so old that the pages are as fragile as that of a butterflys wing."   
  
Syaoran felt interest and hatred rise up in him. "Then what was I trained for if it wasn't for that? Only to protect it but never touch it?!" The elder smiled and leaned back, tired. "You   
  
were trained because you are the son of our once leader. You were trained because you are the only male heir in our large family."  
  
'But why does Sakura take everything I deserve?!' He raged. Intense dislike rose again within him, but remebering her cheerful smile, the anger died down, but did not leave.  
---Fashion Show---  
Sakura walked quickly down the stage, legs stiff, her eyes facing forward, lifted in the air stiffly, that it almost gave her a haughty look. But the dress looked splendid on her, and the   
  
make up was beautifully done. The clothes consisted of silky light blue material that was almost styled like a roman toga, but it dragged along the floor, and had a high slit at the side. The ends   
  
were ruffled slightly. The cloth was lined with silver embroidery and sequins which sparkeled as the light bulbs flashed. A smile graced her rather stony features as she posed for the crowd, her   
  
arms behind her head as she slightly leaned forward and kissed at the judges. This was usually not appropriate, but Sakura was so charming, with her beautiful green eyes, that it was a bonus. The   
  
gems in her hair sparkeled like white fire, the stenciling of silver and blue about her eyes, which decorated her eyes, like vines, glittered with a blue glow. Sakura turned gracefully back into the   
  
back, her lace up blue silk sandles laced with silver netting sparkeling as she stiffly walked off. Sakura reached the end and sighed with relief, she closed her eyes to sigh but tripped over the   
  
stairway and fell forward, ripping the material of her dress.  
  
"Sakura!" Someone squealed. Tomoyo raced in, looking happy, and holding a camcorder in one hand. "That was beauitful... although you were a bit stiff--- good gracious Sakura! YOU   
  
TORE MY DRESS!"  
Sakura gulped as she got up, looking like an imp as she jumped upwards, only to trip again. Tomoyo didn't say anything, and suddenly bursted out laughing.   
--- Outside---  
  
Pearl smiled her pearly whites as she entered the show, only to see Sakura haughtily walking down the stage and doing a ridicoulous pose. Pearl sniffed contempuously.   
  
'Silly girl, just like her mother.'  
  
Pearl sat down regally and watched from afar, then her sharp eyes caught something. Two familiar figures raced towards the backstage. Pearls eyes grew wide and flashed with anger   
  
as she got up.  
  
'How dare they! After the warning I gave them! And My own SON!' Pearl ram forward, determined to stop them.  
A dark haired man, dressed handsomely in a tuxedo rushed towards the backstage. Yukito was following him closely from behind. "I saw her!" Tory kept repeating. "She looks just like   
  
mom, how could have I been so blind?!" He kept pushing through the crowd and came face to face with an almost exact replica of his long dead mother.  
  
"Sakura..." He whispered, his voice hoarse as two large green eyes stared at him in shock.  
--Sakura and Tomoyo...---  
  
Sakura stared at the man in front of her, he had came so suddenly and had blocked her path.   
  
"Sakura..." He whispered.  
  
"Pardon me sir, but do I know you?"  
He stared at her for a long time, and Sakura had a sudden strange feeling that she knew him, even when she was sure she had never seen that face before. She obsserved his face, his   
  
high cheekbones, his slightly tanned skinned, his dark brown eyes... his ebony black hair.  
"Don't you remeber me?" He asked, his eyes imploring. Sakura stared. He was an attractive man. "No. I do not know you." She said after a while. Tomoyo elbowed her and frowned   
  
slightly while mouthing, 'Who are they?' Sakura shook her head. "I'm sorry, there must have been a mistake..." A man with silvery hair and light brown eyes stepped forward. His glasses stood   
  
smartly on his nose. "Hello, I am Yukito Kinomoto. This is Tory Kinomoto. Nice to see you again Sakura." Sakura stared. "Yukito!?!" Sakura squealed as she recognized the man. The man grinned.   
  
Tomoyo had a rather calculating look on her face as she held the camcorder in her hands. She had brought it along saying that she needed to tape her first fashion show.  
  
"Is it really you?!"  
  
Yukito nodded. "This is the boss of our company, Kinomoto." Sakura gasped. "From Nadeshiko Plan?!" Yukito nodded. "And you might want to consider... that he is... ah... of relations to   
  
you... we are pretty sure he is your--."  
  
"Ms. Li!" Came a high sweet voice. Yukito stared as his mother came down towards them. Tory was silent and his face was unreadable.  
  
"Mrs. Kinomoto!" Sakura cried out, suprised.  
  
"Hello Tory dear... Yukito dear." Pearl said smiling rather teethily, almost like a wolf. "So, you know Ms. Li? Why did you not tell me before?"  
To Be Continued....  
A/N: =D Thanx for reading! R and R plz! Thankuverimuch! The plot will get more and more complex later on so hang on there! ^_^ I have a nice preview for all of you!  
  
//Preview\\  
  
Sakura felt like crying. She hid behind the building, barely breathing as the thugs walked about, searching. Searching for her. Tears filled her eyes as she hear someone come closer. She held her throbbing wrist to her chest as she took in a ragged breath. She heard a can clanking somewhere near her and a deep dark voice muttering about something.   
  
"Where is that bitch?"  
  
"She's somewhere around here."  
  
Sakura held her breath as they drew nearer. She moved backwards toward a darker shadow, a shallow sob almost escaping her lips. She let out a small yelp as she collided into something metal. It was a trash can. The trash can teetered and clanged onto the floor, making a ringing sound into the darkness. Sakura held her breath as she frantically looked around.  
"She's behind that building!"  
  
Sakura let out a cry as she turned and ran. She was natrually a very fast runner, but she was tired and her wrist seemed to be sprained for it hurt for her to move it. 'Why are they coming after me?' She thought to herself as she heard thundering footsteps. They had clearly outnumbered her. They surrounded her as she fell on her knees, splashing mud all over her jeans. She looked up at them, angry tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
"What do you want with me?!" She demanded. The tallest man, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward. His large blue eyes were hard as he looked down at her. "Your life." He said quietly. Sakura looked desperate and suddenly, in the back of her mind she remebered she had a cell phone. Her hands reached into her pocket slowly as the man approched. She had to delay him... With words. If she wanted to live. She had to be clever.  
//End Preview\\  
A/N: It's a long preview, hoped you liked it! =D   
  
Special Thanks:  
  
Silverkey90  
Suppi  
Sakuralover  
Athar-Luna  
AnimeObsessesionFantasy  
azndream1788  
crystal-chan  
kawaiitenshisakura  
xxwolfpupxx  
amongst the stars  
sakuratenshi89  
arrow-card  
zero-shadow  
Quattrex  
courtney83  
kawaii*cherry  
Yuki-Rabbit  
liq0urish  
kawaii-cherrywolf  
Kella  
Shima and Tempis  
Skiviry  
Angel  
Jezika  
Many thanks to everyone who reviewd me, and to those who stuck with me from the start to end. ^_^  
Please remeber to Review!! Dakuberimuchie! =D  
-Peonyqt1004 


	9. Sakura makes the Headlines

Title: "This is Not Enough"  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
Chapter Title: "Sakura makes the Headlines"  
  
A/N: I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and sorry for all my grammar and spelling mistakes that I may make while typing this into the computer. =0 Dis all good! Thank you for your reviews! I loved it! *Sniff* Dis chapter is not as *good* as it could be, but... i hope you enjoy it anyways! =D Remeber to read and review! (Ugh, actually, this chapter rots and stinks and smells like failure... =_=;)  
  
Oh, there are spelling errors in this entry. I could'nt proofread it or it would have been put out a week from today. =) R and R!  
Pearl smiled wolfishly, flashing a rather large smile at Tory, sending him a hidden meaning. Tory's eyes were stone cold as he looked away from Pearl. Yukito looked shocked. "M-mother?!" Pearl smiled prettily. "Yes son? I didn't know you were going to attend the fashion show! I was really worried about you.'  
  
'Yea right.' Yukito thought coldly, feeling ashamed that he was spawned by her.  
  
"Mrs. Kinomoto! What a delight!" Sakura said happily. Pearl smiled a bright smile. "Well well Ms. Li. We meet again! How is your body? Are you feeling well?" Sakura suddenly seemed to cloud over. "Truthfully, I really have not thought about the event that much." She admitted. Pearl made a pitying face. "Oh dear, we don't want such a... sucessful young woman like you to get hurt now would you Ms. Li?" Sakura smiled uneasily. "How are you Mrs. Kinomoto? Are you doing ok?"  
  
"I'm fine, just aching a bit in by abdomen because of that punch." Pearl remarked, wincing slightly. 'Greg sure can pack a punch...' Sakura looked sorrowful. "You really should'nt have tried to help me Mrs. Kinomoto. You just got hurt for it. But thank you for trying." Pearl smiled fakely. "Don't worry child, I always did have a tendency to worry over everyone. People do say I have a kind and merciful personality. I just HATE it to see someone in trouble or in pain Ms. Li. I really do."  
----Later----  
  
"TORY!"  
  
There was a loud slap.   
  
"I told you not to interfere! I'll make her death more painful!"  
  
Tory winced at the stinging slap on his face. Sakura had left with her friend and Pearl had pulled him over behind the stage. Pearl was infuriated. An insane glint lit her icy blue eyes. "Don't you dare try Tory Kinomoto!" She said, her voice soft and deadly. "Or You'll pay! I have what you hold dear most... and your sisters life in my hands." Tory's eyes widened as Pearl slowly took out a black box from her purse. Her slender pale hands opened the black box with an ominous click.  
  
There lay the most beauitiful and precious thing that Tory will ever know.  
  
His mothers precious locket.  
  
The locket...  
His hands automatically reached for it, but Pearl smiled and snapped the box shut. "Nuh uh uh! Tory. Please. You don't want your mothers beautiful heirloom to be... suddenly... quite lost do you?" Tory glared at Pearl but could only clench a hand tightly.  
  
"I'll get it from you Pearl. The only thing protecting you is your stupid black mails. But there is a way. I just have to think harder."  
  
Pearls eyes hardened. "Tory. I can blame your fathers death on you. Quite easily too. I set it all out. You don't want to go to jail do you? Tory?" Smiling teethily, she walked away, her steps brisk and harsh against the muted sounds of snazzy music from the stage.  
  
'You little bitch.' Tory thought angrily to himself before he turned around and walked towards the car.   
  
'Sakura, we WILL meet again.'  
----Nearing Tomoyo's House----  
  
Her purple hair glinted in the street lamp as she climbed out of the limo towards her apartment.  
  
"Want to come in for a cup of coffee?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes sparkling.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Sakura said with a smile. She told her chaffeur to come back around 10 and waved goodbye as he rounded a corner. Tomoyo and Sakura started chatting. Obviously things had gotten along quite well. Tomoyo was much pleased to know that the judges had regarded her costumes in high regard. Sakura also had declared her an offical fashion designer for her company.   
  
"You were fabulous! Oh Sakura! You're like a shining star! You are such a great person!" Tomoyo squealed... Suddenly she stopped, and stared at the sight before her. Sakura stared at Tomoyo's suddenly still figure, puzzeled, and looked towards what she was looking at.  
  
A tall handsome man with dark navy hair and azure eyes stared their way, standing in front of Tomoyo's apartment door. His fist was about to knock on the door. He was dressed casually and simply. He wore a well fitting yet loose black sweater with gray dress pants and black shoes. His face was somber and his his glasses were at a strange angle on his face.  
  
"E-e-eriol?!" Tomoyo stuttered, amazed at seeing her ex-boyfriend standing in front of her. He stepped towards her and Tomoyo noticed his gait was a bit off... and that he was staggering. "Are you ok?!" She asked, her voice becoming shrill with worry.   
  
"Aren't you going to kiss me hello?" Eriol asked, his voice slurred. He was so close that she could feel him breathing on her... and she smelled alcohol.  
  
"You were drinking!" Tomoyo exclaimed, disgusted. She pushed him away. "What is it Eriol? I said good bye long time ago!"  
  
"I missed you."  
  
"Yea right! Why don't you go with your little artist friends and go off around the world for another 5 years?" She said evenly, her eyes becoming moist with angry tears. "You left me, you're leaving me again. You're running away from commitment. It's either you love me or you don't Eriol."   
  
Sakura gaped, her face turning red. It was her first time seeing two lovers fight.  
  
"I do love you." Eriol said quietly.  
  
"You are LYING! Onegai! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Tomoyo shrieked. "Or I'll scream!"  
  
Eriol suddenly looked desperate. "Tomoyo! I am leaving tonight! I just wanted to say good bye.... and I was going to tell you I'll miss you... and that I'll come back for you."  
  
Tomoyo started to cry, ragged dry sobs heaving inside of her.   
  
"You're leaving me again! Y-y-you are doing this so we won't get m-m-ma-married!"  
  
Eriol shook his head. "Tomoyo... I have a path to choose and... right now..."  
  
"SHUT UP!" Tomoyo yelled, hurt and resentment flashing in her wet eyes. "Your path doesn't include me then! If you prefer your work over me then go to work!" Tomoyo whirled around and grabbed the gaping Sakura's hand. "Come on... lets go into my apartment." Tomoyo pushed Eriol aside and fumbeled for her keys. Sakura stepped back. Unsure. She was shoved out of the way when Eriol grabbed Tomoyo's shaking arms and suddenly embraced her.  
  
"I'll miss you Tomoyo. I love you. You must belive me!"  
  
Tomoyo shook and let herself be held, until the old hurt resurfaced. She pulled back and suddenly punched him right on the jaw. Eriol fell to the floor.  
  
"You're friggin drunk for gods sakes. And don't come to me saying that again. You won't get into my bed again for saying those words which aren't true!" Tomoyo found her keys and opened the apartment door and slammed it shut. Forgetting Sakura. Sakura, was a bit glad not to be involved in this, she took out her cell to call her chaffeur... when she watched the handsome man get up. She noticed his eyes were moist and that he had a bruise growing on his cheekbone.  
  
'What happened? Isn't that Eriol? The guy who came to my house before?'  
  
She didn't bother asking, whatever this was about, it didn't require her. However, worry for Tomoyo grew in her mind as she called up her chaffeur and walked out into the driveway.  
---- Tomoyo's Apartment---  
Tomoyo shut the door and fell against it, tears streaming from her eyes. She slowly slide down to the floor, her legs weak, and her arms shaking.  
  
'He's leaving me again... '  
  
Tomoyo curled up into a ball and started to cry her heart out, her sobs echoing in her apartment. Right now, the fashion show didn't matter at all... only if he he would stay. Then she would be happy.  
--- At Sakura's Mansion---  
Sakura opened the door to her mansion and hummed a tune to herself. The door opened easily under her hands and she walked inside, and found it dark.  
  
'Huh? Isn't Syaoran home?'  
  
Confused, she went to the fridge and took out a can of coke and a grilled chicken salad. As she chowed down, she looked at the time. It was really late. It was around 9:30 and Syaoran wasn't home. It was queer but highly possible. Syaoran did have places to go.   
  
'I wonder what he's doing?'  
  
She thought. Her head turned quickly as she heard the door open.  
  
'It must be Syaoran!' Excited, she went to greet her oniichan.   
  
"Syaoran!" She cried joyfully. To her utter hurt and bewilderment, he pushed her aside, his face set and his jaws clenched. "Oniichan?" She asked hopefully. Suddenly, to her own ears, she sounded childish as he turned his back to her.  
Wanting to get his attention, she pinched his arm. "Syaoran?"  
  
Suddenly he whirled around to face her.  
  
"WHAT!" He roared, making Sakura cower in suprise. Sakura stared. "I-i-i wanted to ask if y-you were ok."  
  
"I'm just peachy!" Syaoran said loudly, his eyes glinting with anger. "Don't pinch me again!" Sakura looked crestfallen. "I was only jokin--."  
  
"SHUT UP." Syaoran yelled, his eyes burning. Suddenly he rounded on a bewildered Sakura.   
  
"Why do YOU get everything?! How come I have to be your stupid babysitter! How come even if I wasn't the homless orphan who was adopted out of pity, how come I have to work for everything when you don't?! I don't get it! Stupid bitch!" Syaoran roared, his anger sparked by her playful pinch. Sakura turned pale and stared at Syaoran, her eyes large and luminous under the dark setting foe the living room.  
There was an awful silence.  
  
Syaoran suddenly felt remorse, but anger, which always got the better of him, tamped it down. Sakura started to shake in front of him and a tear fell from her eyes. She blinked alot and a child like soft voice answered him.  
  
"What have I ever done to you intentionally?"  
  
Suddenly she fled, she grabbed her purse which lay on the sofa, and ran out the door. Tears blurred her vision as she slammed the door behind him.  
  
'That ho deserved it.' He spat to himself. He kinda felt guilty... just a bit.  
  
"She even left her keys behind. Pathetic." He muttered.  
--- Sakura...---  
  
Sakura kept running and stopped as as reached the farthest part of her neighborhood. This part of the neighborhood was frequently strewed with beer cans. The rich college students always partied here. Hurt from his dreadful words cut her like a knife. She wiped her tears away with the back of her hands. She had sounded pitiful to him. She was nothing but a naive child. Of course he'd hate her. He was rightfully the son of Yelan and she had stolen the heart of the kindly lady from him. Immediately she clenched her shirt with her fingers and griped about the unfairness of life for a second. She frowned. She just noticed a black car following her.  
  
'Huh?'  
  
Sakura stared at the car from the corner of her eyes and kept walking... she noticed it followed her. Suspicion and the injuries from the last attack sharpened her senses and she made a run for it. She dashed across the grounds, tripping over the strewn cans of beer as she ran. She heard the car doors opening and shutting behind her. The sound of running feet made her blood cold. Crying out, she slipped over a can and fell face first towards the ground. Hnads grabbed her wrists and dragged her up. Screaming bloody murder, Sakura scratched and kicked out at the people trying to hurt her. She heard a yelp and someone slapped her on the face. Stilling her.  
  
"This bitch is loco." A accented voice remarked. Sakura met two large blue eyes, reminding her of someone, but not quite. He was dressed in thug clothing and smirked at the look of horror on Sakura's face.  
  
"Hey bitch. Goodbye." He grabbed Sakura's hair and yanked her forward, Sakura cried out as she felt something hard at the side of her head. Something clicked.  
  
Slowly, Sakura looked to the side and saw a gun in the mans hands. Horror made her gag and a hysterical scream almost made it's way out. She threw a punch forward and cried out as she cradeled her arm. She had managed to knock over th man near her, and the man fell on the tall blue eyed man with the gun. Fear made her fast as she darted away from them.  
  
Sakura felt like crying. She hid behind the building, barely breathing as the thugs walked about, searching. Searching for her. Tears filled her eyes as she hear someone come closer. She held her throbbing wrist to her chest as she took in a ragged breath. She heard a can clanking somewhere near her and a deep dark voice muttering about something.   
  
"Where is that bitch?"  
  
"She's somewhere around here."  
  
Sakura held her breath as they drew nearer. She moved backwards toward a darker shadow, a shallow sob almost escaping her lips. She let out a small yelp as she collided into something metal. It was a trash can. The trash can teetered and clanged onto the floor, making a ringing sound into the darkness. Sakura held her breath as she frantically looked around.  
"She's behind that building!"  
  
Sakura let out a cry as she turned and ran. She was natrually a very fast runner, but she was tired and her wrist seemed to be sprained for it hurt for her to move it. 'Why are they coming after me?' She thought to herself as she heard thundering footsteps. They had clearly outnumbered her. They surrounded her as she fell on her knees, splashing mud all over her jeans. She looked up at them, angry tears streaming from her eyes.  
  
"What do you want with me?!" She demanded. The tallest man, who seemed to be the leader, stepped forward. His large blue eyes were hard as he looked down at her. "Your life." He said quietly. Sakura looked desperate and suddenly, in the back of her mind she remebered she had a cell phone. Her hands reached into her pocket slowly as the man approched. She had to delay him... With words. If she wanted to live. She had to be clever.  
"H-hello... c-can you tell me why you want to kill me?" She asked, cautiously, wary of his facial expressions. She noticed that the man was barely out of his boyhood, the blue eyed young man had a fair face, but his eyes were hard and cruel. "Can't." He replied as he reached for his gun. Sakura reached her hand inside and opened the cell. The man cocked the gun, Sakura looked frightened.  
  
"Oh! What's your name? Since I'm going to die anyways it would'nt matter if you told me!" Sakura said, smiling uneasily. The man looked vaugely confused. "Why would you care about a street loser like me? No one asks for my name. Ever." Then he gave her a cold grin. "It's Street Rat you rich whore." Sakura brought her hands out slighty from her pocket, she was tense and she felt cold sweat break out about her body. "Wait! Tell me your real name!" Sakura demanded to take up time. The thugs around her groaned.  
  
"Juss kill her! She's annoying and she aint gunna be pleased if we let her get through our finga's boys!"  
  
"Wait, hold it Snakes." Street rat said, rolling his eyes. "Ok, bitch, if you want to know so much, it's Mike Ban." Sakura whipped out her phone quickly and dailed 911. She rolled to the side quickly as she heard the voice of her savior.   
  
'Hurry... hurry...'  
  
Sakura shriked as she heard a gunshot. It barely missed her. A man grabbed her arm just as she heard.  
  
{Hello may I help you? State your state of emergency.}  
  
"I'm getting attacked by thugs!" Sakura said desperately.   
  
{Where are you right now?}  
  
Sakura cried out as the cell phone was being jostled by her attackers. She remebered the street she was on. Since it was the party street, it had to be Melody Lane.  
  
"Somewhere around Melody lane in--."  
  
The phone was yanked out of her hand and someone punched her. Sakura screamed as she held her bloody nose and started to cry as they kicked her.   
  
"We have to kill her Mike!"  
  
"Wait."  
  
The blue eyed boy made everyone stop. Sakura groaned, she moved about in a pool of blood. "I think she'll die on her own. Let's get going before the police get here. Don't forget to get her purse." Sakura felt someone yank away her Gucci purse, but pain prevented her from saying anything.  
Then everything went black as she heard the faint cry of sirens.  
--- With Syaoran---  
Syaoran felt disgusted with himself and Sakura.  
  
'I'm getting outta here.' He muttered to himself as he packed up a few things into his briefcase. 'I can but new furniture.' He thought grumpily as he got up and looked around for one last time. 'I'm forgetting that this even happened. There is nothing for me here except more heartache and alienation. Good riddance.'   
  
He jerked his breifcase up quickly while he tightened the belt about his trenchcoat. He took one last look around him and felt a light resignation as he stood there looking at his familiar surroundings.   
  
'Good Bye forever. I'm not going to do what elder wants me to do. He doesn't have the power anymore. I am not a child anymore.'  
  
With those thoughts, he opened the door and left... leaving behind only a memory.  
--- At the hospital---  
  
A elegant woman with dark purple hair and amethyst eyes frantically waved her hands about.  
  
"Is Sakura ok?!"  
  
She had been asking the same questions for the billionth time and everyone ignored her. Friends and family came to see Sakura, but she was still in the emergency room. Worried, Tomoyo fluttered her hand about her face, unable to keep still.   
  
"Where is Syaoran!"  
  
Tomoyo found herself listening to a strong womans voice from behind her.  
  
"The Li's are gathered here... all are... except for our only male heir, Syaoran."  
  
"He might drop in later Mother." A sweet and husky voice said, trying to abate the fierce rath from her mother.  
  
Tomoyo whirled around. "Excuse me? Do you know what Sakura's injuries are and how serious this is?"   
  
The young woman, who looked around her age looked sober. Her red eyes were sad and her black ebony hair looked rather messy.  
  
"Sakura has two gractured ribs and a concussion. This is very serious, the doctors are afraid that Sakura's lung has been peirced."  
  
"No!" Tomoyo cried out. Tears pricked hr eyes and the world swirled before her.   
--- With Tory---  
  
Yukito looked very pale, his eyes worried and dark. "Tory." Yukito said, trying to calm down the raging tall man. Tory slammed his desk, eyes lighting with a strange fire. "Yukito. Don't you 'Tory' me. Did you see todays headlines? I feel useless!" Tory grabbed his morning newspaper and slammed it in front of Yukito. Yukito blinked and read the title.  
  
'Sakura Li of Li Co. has been Attacked'  
  
He skimmed the rest of the text and felt his stomach roil about.  
  
'Sakura Li, owner of the Li Company and one of the children and rich heiress of the Li family has been brutally attacked last night. In the middle of the night, a Tuesday night, she had been found beaten severly and lying in a pool of blood. The people who may have beaten her are unknown. She is in an unstable condition in Ingels Hospital and suffers from two fractures ribs, a lung peircing, bruising, and a sever concussion. More on page 6.'  
"Tory... "  
  
The black haired man looked absoulutely furious. "I am putting myself into this no matter what! Screw my mother locket and me going to jail! I don't want another Kinomoto dead!" Yukito had a frown creased in his forehead. "Tory, I have an idea, we can do this indirectly... and that way is..."  
---In an Airplane---  
A handsome man in a comfortable gray sweater and brown pants sat in his first class plane seat, looking quite comfortable. The person sitting besides him was a tall attractive blonde model, who kept giving him the eye. Suddenly, the girl waved at the man, getting his attention by waving around her arms.  
  
"Hey handsome!" She called out, giving him a surty wink. The chestnut haired man looked slightly interested. "What's yer name?" She asked, blowing him a kiss. "Syaoran Li. You?" He said in a curt voice. "I'm Amanda Klien..." She said, leaning towards them. They were a great space apart, but she didn't seem to mind that Syaoran was slowly losing interest in her. "Hey handsome... where you going?" Irritated, Syaoran gave a grunt, "The place this plane is heading for." Amanda looked disappointed. "Well, if ya need to talk... or want something to do..." She raised an eyebrow and rolled her shoulder. "You know where to look." Syaoran snorted as he reached for the newspaper the flight attendant was handing out. He blinked a few times. 'Huh?'  
  
'Sakura Li of Li Co. has been Attacked.'  
  
'What the hell?!' Syaoran thought, he read the article and felt his body grow cold.  
  
'What happened?'   
  
He stared at the article and booked a flight back to China.  
To be Continued...  
  
  
A/N: Thank you once again and remeber to read and review!   
~Peonyqt1004  
  
Special Thanks to:  
  
Kawaii-Cherrywolf  
xxDarkstarxx  
windy*wings  
Athar-Luna  
WezL  
Skiviry  
SuSan  
Crystal-chan  
AmBeR*SiLvEr-SnowFlAkes  
BabyWolfGirl  
YoukaiLover  
zero-shadow  
darkemerald22  
Sakuralover  
Shima and Tempis  
lizzy  
lex  
MimiGhost  
sprout  
Cryst  
Quattrex  
Meinien  
xx wolf pup xx  
kawaiitenshisakura  
Mini Sweety  
Jezika  
Preview~ =)  
  
"You looked quite bad there little girl." The woman said softly, dabbing Sakura's face with a cotton swab. "Where am I?" Sakura asked, getting up.  
  
"The hospital of course."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I was hoping you'd tell me how you've gotten hurt little one, and I'll need your name."  
  
Sakura stared at the person next to her. The woman was dressed in a white uniform... and the room was decorated in friendly yellow wallpaper. Other children lay in white cots around her. No matter how hard she thought, she could'nt remeber her name.  
  
"I-i-i... I don't remeber who I am." Sakura said quietly. "I think my name is Sakura..." Sakura blinked a few times and tasted the strange name in her mouth.  
  
"Sakura."  
  
"My dear, you are suffering from minor head injuries and many other injuries... we will need your last name."  
  
"I-i-i don't know..."  
  
"Oh dear... are you quite sure?" The nurse said worriedly. Sakura was suddenly frightened. Where was she and why did her body hurt so much? Her head throbbed and a strange unpleasent odor reached her nose. Sakura felt nauseated and sick.  
  
"I want to get out of here!" The little girl screamed, tears starting to flow from her eyes.  
  
"Dear, but you're hurt! We need to find you a home... maybe even put out something in the newspaper to find your family... You're suffering from amnesia..."  
  
"NO! I WANT TO GO HOME!" Sakura cried out, tears ran faster and her nose started to run. For some reason, Sakura was suddenyl scared of where she was. The hospital seemed overbearing and scary... and it smelled of death.  
-Peonyqt1004  
PLEASE REVIEW! =D 


	10. Hurt

Title: This is Not Enough  
  
Chapter Title: Hurt  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
Disclaimer: As always... I don't own CCS. ;_;  
  
A.N: =) I hope you like this chapter- I liked typing this one out actually- lol. Cuz the best part is next! Nyahaha no more building up towards the top anymore! I can go one without anything to build on- er... I'm happy. =) Remeber to Read and review! I will be sooo happy if u do! =) Keep reading!  
  
"Hurt"  
  
It hurt.  
  
Sakura was crying out in pain... The rain was cold on her body.  
  
"Please stop please!" She cried out to the shadowed figure which kept kicking and beating her. Blood ran down Sakura's eyes and the pain would not go away. Sakura started to gasp for breathe.  
  
"P-p-ple-"  
  
Suddenly she was out cold.  
  
When her eyes opened again, they felt swollen and shut. A woman tenderly looked down at her.  
  
"You looked quite bad there little girl." The woman said softly, dabbing Sakura's face with a cotton swab. "Where am I?" Sakura asked, getting up.  
  
"The hospital of course."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I was hoping you'd tell me how you've gotten hurt little one, and I'll need your name."  
  
Sakura stared at the person next to her. The woman was dressed in a white uniform... and the room was decorated in friendly yellow wallpaper. Other children lay in white cots around her. No matter how hard she thought, she could'nt remeber her name.  
  
"I-i-i... I don't remeber who I am." Sakura said quietly. "I think my name is Sakura..." Sakura blinked a few times and tasted the strange name in her mouth.  
  
"Sakura."  
  
"My dear, you are suffering from minor head injuries and many other injuries... we will need your last name."  
  
"I-i-i don't know..."  
  
"Oh dear... are you quite sure?" The nurse said worriedly. Sakura was suddenly frightened. Where was she and why did her body hurt so much? Her head throbbed and a strange unpleasent odor reached her nose. Sakura felt nauseated and sick.  
  
"I want to get out of here!" The little girl screamed, tears starting to flow from her eyes.  
  
"Dear, but you're hurt! We need to find you a home... maybe even put out something in the newspaper to find your family... You're suffering from amnesia..."  
  
"NO! I WANT TO GO HOME!" Sakura cried out, tears ran faster and her nose started to run. For some reason, Sakura was suddenyl scared of where she was. The hospital seemed overbearing and scary... and it smelled of death. She didn't know why, but it made her uneasy.  
  
"Sit down Sakura. We need to--."  
  
"NO! I WANT TO GO HOME!" The little girl cried out, tears flowed faster when she realized she didn't know where her home was. Suddenly, Sakura lept off the bed and ran out the room.  
  
"Get that girl!" The nurse cried.  
  
"I don't want to die!" Sakura cried, her brown hair flying around her face. "I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE!" Sakura cried out, her body started to shake uncontrollably. The nurse finally caught her.  
  
"Oh dear, she's hyperventilating. Of course, after days of sleeping she should be experincing moments of hysteria..."  
  
"STOP!" The little girl screamed as she writhed in the nurses arms. She felt the needle going in as a bunch of nurses with blurred faces surrounded her...  
  
"NO!"  
  
Sakura struggled, but she was getting weak... and the world around her was blurring.  
  
"NO!"   
  
The world was turning black... the light was fading...  
  
"I don't want to die!"  
  
------------   
  
Tomoyo jumped at the sound of the heart monitor going crazy. "NURSE!" She cried out, crazed. "Someone! please help her!" There was a loud clamor as a group of nurses and medics rushed in. Tomoyo watched in horror as she watched her dreadfully pale friend gasp for breathe behind the plastic mask.  
  
'No... this can't be happening...'  
  
Tomoyo was numb with horror. She didn't notice when a nurse lead her out. The picture of beauitful healthy Sakura gasping for breath, looking deathly pale and cadaverous on top of a hospital cot would stay embedded in her mind forever.  
  
'Dont' leave Sakura.' Tomoyo prayed. 'There are people who want you to stay. Be strong. You can come out of it well!'  
  
------------  
  
A tall man in a trenchcoat entered the Li Company building. He passed by normal employees and stopped in front of a bulletin.   
  
-----------  
  
Syaoran caught another ride back to China. He knew Elder would not be happy about this. 'Oh... what the heck, leave her to die.' He grumbled, but a strange nagging voice at the back of his head rebuked him.  
  
'If she dies it's most likely your fault.'  
  
He groaned. He checked his watch as he waited at the airport.   
  
'What a waste of money. I should've just stayed at China...'  
  
"Oh. What a coincedence! Mr Li!"  
  
Syaoran blinked as he looked up. It was that blonde haired girl. "Uh, Hi." The blonde looked absoutley pleased at his reply.  
  
"So, Handsome, what are you doing this week?"  
  
"Actually I'm taking a flight back to China."  
  
"Oh." She sounded dissapointed. "Well. Li. Since your waiting... Why not make the most of this time?" She waggled her eyebrows and drew her skirt up higher. Syaoran was disgusted. 'Those women... always willing to sleep with any man who looks good.' "No thanks." He said, not doing anything to disguise the disgust in his voice. "Oh." She sounded dissapointed again. Syaoran got up. "Nice chatting with you... But I must go. I have a flight to catch... and a life." He heard a gasp of anger. Smirking, he walked towards his flight... His mind troubled.  
  
-------------  
  
Green eyes shot open in the middle of the night. The large eyes blinked a few times.  
  
"W-where am I?" She croaked. She heard soft snoring next to her. She looked at her side and saw that Meiling had pulled up a chair and was sleeping with her head thrown back... Tomoyo was sprawled out on the floor in a sleeping bag.  
  
'Tomoyo is crazy.' Sakura thought to herself. Her whole body hurt.  
  
'Dang... what just happened?' Then she remebered and she let out a stifled groan, disturbing Meiling sleep just a little bit. 'I got attacked... again.' Sakura looked around her nd shivered.  
  
'I'm in a hospital...'  
  
The walls seemed to breath and close in on her.  
  
'How many people died in a hospital?'  
  
The thought chilled her to the bone. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead.  
  
'What if their spirits still haunt the hallways of the hospital?' Her eyes grew wide with fear. She let out a squeak as she laid stiffly on her bed.   
  
Somethign moved at a corner.... there was a loud rustling noise... Sakura felt a scream climb it's way out fo her throat.  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"  
  
-----------------  
  
Eriol looked miserable as he packed his meager belongings to go with his friends to study some art at the other side of the world. But Tomoyo's words kept echoing in his head.  
  
'You always run away from commitment!'  
  
"But Tomoyo... I can be commited to the right person... and it's you. If only you can understand...." He sighed, realizing he was talking to himself. Hoisting his suitcase and bag over his shoulder, her proceeded to walk out. Then he stopped as he came face to face with his slightly unfinished artwork. It was his master peice.  
  
'I'll just leave this here.' Eriol thought sadly. 'It is no use to dream things that will never come true.' With a sigh, he walked out his home... out of Tomoyo's life.  
  
-------------  
  
Meiling looked throughly relieved as she tried to feed Sakura another spoonful of rice.  
  
"Come on Sakura, You need to heal!"  
  
"Meiling...." Sakura whined, but opened her mouth automatically. The rice slid down her throat and warmed her empty stomach.  
  
"So Sakura... who do you think might have tried to kill you?" Meiling asked. "I really don't know." Sakura replied, feelign queasy just thinking about her near death experince. "Hmmm. Who would be jelouse enought to want to kill you? Or maybe they want something with your death!" Sakura winced. "Such morbid thoughts Meiling... You're on my list of suspects." Sakura said jokingly. Meiling ceased feeding Sakura and turned to the window, her eyes dreamy. Sakura smiled softly, her eyes resting on a small bird outside of her window.  
  
It was small and delicate. The bird jumped from limb to limb and started to chirp cheerfully. Sakura looked up when she heard the door open.  
  
Her eyes grew wide.  
  
"S-Syaoran?" She gasped.   
  
She found her eyes scanning his face... the stubbles growing from his chin, and the rumpled state his clothes were in. "Somebody told me you moved out of the mansion!" Sakura said. (She had been greatly dissappointed by that news.) "Yes, I did." He said. His brown eyes seemed to be searching within Sakura's eyes for something.  
  
The stood there, staring at each other.  
  
"SYAORAN!" Meiling cried out shrilly. She clamped on her cousin and hugged him.  
  
"Meiling..." He said, a bit irritated.  
  
(Later)  
  
Syaoran could not find any words to speak with Sakura. 'I wonder if she forgives me?' He pondered, looking at her still form. He noticed how thin she had gotten. The flesh around her cheeks were pinched and her skin was no longer the perfect pale peach hue it had been before, the tone of her skin had literally almost became gray.  
  
Still, she looked beautiful. Instead of the beauitful sunny girl he had thought of her as before, she looked like a moon goddess who had just risen out from the ocean foams... Like aphrodite. He felt himself blush at such pretentious and rather lovey dovey thoughts.  
  
'She's my sister...' He repeated in his mind, but one question still had trouble coming up from his throat... but now, it came up.  
  
"Sakura, who do you think is attacking you?"  
  
He was greeted by silence. Slowly, her head turned towards him, her eyes glittering sadly. "I don't know." Sakura said slowly. "But whoever it is, they must hate me quite alot to want me dead." Syaoran saw how she sighed, and how her eyelashes fluttered against her high cheekbones...  
  
"Sakura..." He started. He was having a sudden hard time breathing as he tried to apologize to her for his earlier outburst of anger.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"I... I... I'm sorry." He said quickly. When he finished saying those words his breathing quickened.  
  
"Oh..." Sakura whispered. "It's ok. No hard feelings."   
  
In Sakura's eyes she kept seeing the woman with the flowing black hair and astonishing green eyes... and the blurry figure of the attacker in her dream.  
  
'What can this dream mean?' For some reason, the woman in the black hair was familiar, he just didn't know how. Her attention was drawn back to Syaoran when he moved slightly, moving her cot a bit as he got up.  
  
----  
  
Syaoran winced, as soon as she said that it was ok and that all was forgiven, she had looked away with a rather far away look in her eye. 'She hates me.' He thought bitterly, 'Like everyone else does.' Hating himself and the world at that second, he turned his head away sharply, and heard a rather sad sigh. The sigh resounded with remorse and wistfulness... a sweet voice followed it.  
  
"Syaoran..." Came a whisper. Syaoran answered, "Yes?"  
  
"I keep seeing this lady with black hair and green eyes in my dream... what do you think it could mean?" Syaoran looked puzzeled and his hostile air dropped away from him, like a shroud thrown aside for further use.  
  
  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Sakura bit her lips and looked at Syaoran, her eyes deep with a profound saddness. "That woman... in my dreams... do you think she could possibly be my mother?" Syaoran let out a scoff, making Sakura blink. Before Syaoran could control himself, he let out a arrogant snort.  
  
"Sakura, imagine. Of course you have a mother, but please. How could you see her in your dreams if you don't know who she is Sakura? You are and orphan.Your mother ditched you, imagine, why would you want to dream of a mother who didn't care enought to feed and cloth you."  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
Syaoran realized what he had said and his eyes widened. 'Stupid mouth... shit.' He thought silently, he slowly turned and met Sakura's shimmering green eyes. Her face had no emotion on it, it was as still as stone...   
  
"Syaoran...." She whispered harshly. "That... you didn't have to tell me that... you didn't have to--." Her voice cracked and Sakura shut her mouth and muffled the cries of hurt within her as she shook uncontrollably.   
  
Syaoran felt guilty... and for the first time, sorry for what he had said. "Sakura I--."  
  
His heart broke when he saw a glimmer of a tear pool in one of her eyes... It hung at her eyelashes like a shard of glass... she blinked and it fell onto his hand which was resting near her head. The teardrop shattered like shattering glass... like her shattered hopes...   
  
"Sakura-- I..."  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, suddenly bursting out. Her cheeks were flushed with anger and her eyes glinted strangely. She got out of the got, wearing her blue and white hospital gown. "I can't stand this place!" She bursted. "It makes me insecure and angry... and provokes the strangest dreams... I almost got killed... and you come along and make things worse!" She pointed a finger at him. "You hated me... I could understand just a little and withstand it.... but... this is too far! Just when I thought you had a heart you go and ruin it all! Wait. Excuse me. You don't have one. I forgot that you're not human. I forgot that you hate everyone and that you are selfish and angry with everyone who comes and tries to help you!" Syaoran felt his face burn with anger and humiliation as he retorted back with a sharp and painful reply.  
  
"At least I had parents who loved me enough to not care about my so called "heartlessness" and actually keep me in their midst! I bet your parents hated you so much they wanted to ditch you."  
  
Sakura stared at him, her enraged eyes slowly saddening into eyes of a hurt child... Time seemed to stop as Syaoran looked helplessly at her. He didn't mean what he said, he just could'nt help but be who he was all his life. Sobs rose in Sakura's chest, her eyes teared up and she pivoted and dashed out. That's when Syaoran started to act.  
  
"SAKURA!"  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed back at him.  
  
Cursing he went after her, 'Damn my mouth.' He said silently. "SAKURA BUT YOU'RE HURT!" He yelled. He listened for an answer as he heard the furious beat of his heart as he ran after her, but there was none. He could only hear the fading echo of her sobs fading into the distance.  
  
'Damn she's fast.'  
  
He ran faster and noticed nurses trying to stop Sakura, but the beautiful adburn haired girl pushed them aside and flung open the hospital door and ran out into the night.  
  
"SAKURA!"  
  
---Down the street...---  
  
The man exited the company, his trenchcoat swinging about him as he suddenly looked up and removed his hat. It was Tory. His ebony locks shone in the streetlamps as he looked around cautiously. He had to be careful. Pearl was very watchful, and he had managed to sneak out of the house, just barely.   
  
'She still has mother locket...' He cursed. He walked faster, rounding a corner quickly. His eyes widened as he collided with a sobbing woman in a hospital gown.  
  
'FUCK!' He cursed as he used his quick reflexes to make it so he fell on the bottom and she was on top of him. He didn't want this person getting hurt.   
  
"I-i-iam sorry!" The girl said quickly as she got up. Tory scratched his head and nodded, then stared.  
  
"S-s-sakura?!"  
  
"Mr Kinomoto?!"  
  
Tory looked at his sister and memories which included both his sister and mother flooded him... such as the time when his mother took both Sakura and Tory to the park. He had gotten in a fist fight with Sakura, and of course, she lost. She had wanted to play basketball but he was embarassed to have her play on his team... He winced. That was a bad memory... Sakura had cried and bore a bruise on her eye, and his mother, Nadeshiko, spanked him till he could'nt sit on his rear anymore.   
  
She looked diffrent yet so much the same.   
  
Sakura childhood face had been cute as a button... but now the cuteness had evolved into an enchanting beauty.  
  
'Like mother...'  
  
He thought. Sakura still had the slightly curley light brown hair, which she took after the father, but the curls were from Nadeshiko. But her hair had been shortly cropped long time ago. Her large green eyes still held the purity and sweetness which had been there since childhood... Oh god, how could he have been stupid. She resembled Nadeshiko... yet his father gentle features softened the vivid and sharp beauty of his mothers down a bit.  
  
'Mother was a model... she was beautiful... just like you Sakura... If only I can tell you...'  
  
Then he noticed she was crying. Her eyes were wet with tears and he felt his heart break.  
  
"Why are you crying?" He questioned, his dark brown eyes searching hers. Sakura stared up at him. "You would'nt understand... I can't tell you. You would make fun of me... like everyone else." Why did she sound like a vunerable child if she was grown up now? Her voice held a childish air... a sad one at least. "You can tell me. I can probably understand more then you know." Sakura shook her head, her body shaking. Tory brought out an arm to his sister and held her closely...  
  
It was almost like old times... He used to hold her when she had cried over her fathers death... He didn't quite know why, till he heard Sakura talking in her dream.   
  
"Tell me..." Tory whispered, Green eyes peered up at his.   
  
"Promise you won't laugh?" She asked, her voice afraid and child-like.  
  
"Pinky swear." He replied, smiling crookedly as he remebered that he had gotten that from Sakura. When she was young, she used to always make him pinky swear every promise.   
  
He held out a crooked pinky. Sakura laughed between her tears and wrapped her slim pinky around his.  
  
"Ok..." Her eyes looked at him strangely. "How come... even if I don't know you well Mr. Kinomoto... How come it is like I've known you before?"  
  
"Maybe we met each other long time ago? And we forgot?" He said, hinting at it. Sakura smiled sadly. "No, you probably wasn't at the orphanage I was in. I never knew you. Speaking of orphanage... Since I promised... I was crying because... My mother ditched me and left me all alone because she didn't like who I was." Tears sprang from her eyes again.  
  
Tory was shocked and his heart broke for her, her eyes held saddness so deep and profound that he was afraid he was going to drown in empathy for her. He looked away. "Sakura... I don't think your mother left you at all. I think... she loved you very much. She probably thought you were very beautiful, both inside and outside... and probably cherished you." Hope sprang in Sakura's eyes. It almost hurt him just to see that hope spring up from those words.  
  
"Hoe- Do you think so?"  
  
"Hai..."  
  
Sakura's eyes lit up in happiness and she hugged Tory. "Thank you... I've always wished that was true... maybe, since someone said that, maybe it is true after all." Tory patted her back, his eyes moist with unshed tears.  
  
'I can't tell her...'  
  
Tory opened his mouth to tell her who he was. Who he really was. Maybe it was time to tell her? But she was living a happy life... what would she gain if she learned that she was part of the murdered Kinomoto family? What would her dark past do for her? The past was only filled with horrible images of death and corruption. Would she really want to revert back to her old family when he knew that Pearl would make her life a living hell if she were to know?  
  
No. He would'nt tell her. The future was what mattered the most. It nearly killed him to make this desicion, but he clenched his teeth. It was for his sisters happiness... He would protect her from afar... and watch her grow.   
  
"SAKURA!"  
  
Tory was startled to see a young man with dark brown hair and brown eyes ran around the corner. The man stopped and stared at Sakura and him.   
  
"Who are you?!" the man demanded, his dark brown eyes flashing. "Tory Kinomoto. Nice to meet you." Tory replied casually. Syaoran stared at Tory, and looked back at Sakura.  
  
"You stupid retard! Go back to the hospital! You're hurt for god sakes! You look ridicoulous with that hospital gown on! Now git!"  
  
Sakura looked wounded and slightly hostile towards the boy and she bowed to Tory. "Thank you, nice to meet you Mr. Kinomoto."  
  
"It's Tory." He corrected.  
  
"Tory." She repeated, her eyes shone and she ran back to the hospital, well, slightly slower then before.  
  
"Now who are you?" Tory asked the man looking after Sakura. "Syaoran Li." The man replied, looking pissed.   
  
'I really don't like this man.' Tory thought scornfully. 'I better protect Sakura from this brat... wait... they're related. Rats. He dosen't treat her well, I'll kill him if he makes her cry.'   
  
--- Tomoyo---  
  
Tomoyo stopped by the bulletin in her company hallway. There were always schedules and important messages up there. Tomoyo felt pretty happy today, after hearing that Sakura was getting better and all, she was happy. Her thoughts drifted away as she stopped and stared at one praticular note.  
  
'Tomoyo D. - 5:00-6:00 at Merriweather Pike- Appointment with Elle Co.'  
  
Tomoyo smiled as she reat those words, then her smile turned into a large "o" as she read a rather dirty note underneath that note.  
  
'To: Li Sakura- Avoid dark places. People are not who they seem to be. Take caution. Go with someone. Beware the woman with blonde hair.'  
  
'Who wrote that bunch of childish nonsense?!' Tomoyo raged. She looked for any initial or name, but found none. She ripped the paper from the bulletin and shoved it into her pocket. 'Someone's playing a prank on Sakura. She has enough to deal with as it is. I'll talk to her about this prank later...'  
  
Tomoyo sighed as she walked out of the company building.   
  
'Isn't today the day Eriol's leaving? Should I check up on him?'  
  
She didn't know what to do, she wanted to, but she was scared that she would just be hurt again. She fingered the apartment key that Eriol had given her.  
  
'It would'nt hurt. I will bring Eriol something to eat and I'll talk to him about...' She paused. 'Why am I doing this?' She questioned herself as she got in her car. She pulled out of the parkway... and drove towards Eriol's apartment.  
  
=Ding Dong=  
  
Tomoyo shifted about, holding up a chocolate cake in one hand. No one answered.   
  
'Don't tell me he left yet!' Tomoyo cried out, for some reason, that hurt. 'Maybe he can't hear me? Or he's mad at me... omigod... if he is... I am going to--.' She grabbed her keys akwardly and opened the door.  
  
"Eriol! Why didn't you open the do-." She stopped and stared... Slowly putting down the chocolate cake on the floor.  
  
'The rooms too empty...'  
  
Tomoyo walked faster towards the living room. There were no furniture... only a wooden table and a chair stood there.  
  
'Oh my god... Please...' Tomoyo felt her heart pounding as she ran towards the den where Eriol both slept and worked in.  
  
'Please be here...' She prayed as she opened the door.  
  
The room was empty... She felt tears prick her eyelids as she slowly stepped inside the room.  
  
"Eriol..."  
  
Tears flooded her eyes. 'You bastard... you left me without any goodbye...' She dabbed an eye and steeled herself. 'Why am I crying? I don't need to cry... no... I am not going to cry. There is nothing here that will make me cry!' Hopefully, she looked around the room for anything. A note... a card... Something that Eriol might have left behind for her.  
  
She spotted his large easel.  
  
"Aha! So Eriol didn't quite move out after all! I should've known, he would'nt go anywhere wihtout his easle..." Smiling she faced the painting on the easel, and he face froze.  
  
'Oh... Eriol...'  
  
A white sheet covered the painting, but a white note was pinned on the cloth. She read it outloud.  
  
Dear Tomoyo,  
  
I'm probably gone by the time you arrive here. If you are here. I'm glad. I really wasn't lying about loving you. I love you Tomoyo. Everything about you. Your hair, you eyes... your beautiful hands and your personality. Just the esssence of you was a pleasure to my senses. You are art made alive. Tomoyo... I'm sorry I left. I'm sorry things ended this way. But I love you, and understand that. I don't know if I will return. I left my masterpeice unfinished, because it reflects a part of my unfinished life. A life with you Tomoyo. I hope you keep this painting. Tomoyo... You came to say good bye didn't you? Well Tomoyo. Good bye... I'll always remeber you, adn there will be no other.  
  
-Eriol.  
  
With shaking hands, Tomoyo uncovered the painting... when she stared at it, her bottom lip started to quiver and her eyes watered. Her heart shattered into a million peices...  
  
Breaking down in sobs she fell down to her knees. 'Oh Eriol...' She cried out in her heart...   
  
The painting was one of her... the background was of the place they first met, the garden downtown... She was facing the sunset... and a man resembling Eriol stooda t the corner... like a loner... Between her and man was a bridge... the bridge was unfinished.  
  
---Pearl---  
  
The blonde woman with icy blue eyes examined her nails. She had them frenched and they were chipping... she didn't like that. She had found out that Sakura was still alive.  
  
'Oh well.. they always mess things up. If you want to do something you have to do it on your own.'   
  
Pearl got up from her plush sofa and smiled at the mirror as she saw her reflection of a beautiful woman. 'Damn Pearl Kinomoto. You have it all. All you need is Sakura dead. Then all is over and you can lead a happy life.' Then her smile faded as she saw a picture of Nadeshiko leaning against the wall...  
  
'What?! I thought I threw this picture away long time ago!'   
  
She hated that face. That face which was so beautiful with love and purity... it was gruesome. Those bright green eyes and curley black locks... Pearl sneered at the picture. 'Nadeshiko. You were never prettier then me. I hope you're burning in hell. With your husband.' Pearl smiled. 'Sakura is going to die soon Nadeshiko... and it will be like killing you... I've hated you because you took all the people who cared for me away from me... you had it all, now, you have nothing! I took everything from you too! Your husband... Your money, your home. Nadeshiko... I win.' Pearl smiled. 'And I will kill Sakura with my own hands.' Pearl suddenly blinked. Why did it suddenly seem as if Nadeshiko was looking at her accusingly? Those green eyes looked angry and rather smug. She shook her head.  
  
"Nadeshiko, You're dead. You can't do anything."  
  
Pearl smiled and withdrew two items from her desk.  
  
"Now which death is more painful? Poison... that killed Kinomoto-san... or the dagger that I killed my father with?" She looked at both of them and sighed. "Such hard desicions... " Smirking, she put away the murder weapons and shut the cabinet. "Maybe I'll try a new murder weapon." The glinting silver dagger and the bottle of clear poison, sweet and decietful, lay within the dark wooden box called a cabinet. Waiting to be used once again.  
  
------   
  
Syaoran was alone... he had not moved back into the mansion but he had the keys.  
  
'Sakura doesnt... I still have hers..' He thought, but it floated away from his mind as he thought of other things. He regretted doing that to Sakura. He didn't mean to, it slipped out.   
  
'Some brother I am...' He thought to himself bitterly. The picture of Sakura crying with tears streaming from her eyes rose in his mind like a ghost and he groaned. Sakura was getting out of the hospital tommorrow. Her injuries were pretty bad... Her health wouldn't be like it used to be. The doctor was very worried about her lung. They had just managed to reshape the lungs and stitch the wounds together. Sakura's breathing would be a bit difficult.  
  
'She needs someone to take care of her. It's my duty. The elder said so. I'm going to do it. It is as if it's my fault.' He sighed. 'But who in the world would want Sakura dead? Who? A frown crossed his mind as the image of that tall dark haired man named Tory came to mind.  
  
'He's a bit suspicious, if he hangs around Saku- my sister too much, I'll kill him. At this point, anyone could be the killer. I have to watch out for Sakura. I'll make it up to her...' He drowsed slowly as he sank into dark slumber.  
  
--------------  
  
"She's still alive? Son of abitch! She fucking knows my name!"  
  
"You fucking retard! Why did you fucken tell her ya loco?!"  
  
A man who had once held a gun to Sakura's head cursed and stood by a dilapidated shack. His blue eyes were snapping with anger. He brushed back his tawny brown locks with fusteration. "Damn it, we have to be on the run. As soon as she gets better, she'll probably report us!"  
  
A spanish man with dark nut brown skin and twinkling dark black eyes stepped up. "Ah, Mike-boy. Don't go loco on us yet. I have a good plan. Since she is recovering from the hospital, before she recovers fully, we can kill her."  
  
Mike snapped at his partner. "Snakes, You retard." He snapped. "I..." Mike trailed away as he remebered those green eyes. Her eyes had seemed sincere when she had asked for his name. No one had asked for his name before. They had thought it insigneficent. No one cared. He was "Street Rat" to them. But when this rich ass bitch of a girl had asked for his name, he had felt his mind go blank.  
  
'She is pretty.' He concluded. 'But dangerous to me.'   
  
"I what Mike-boy?" Snakes asked. "Do you have anything better to plan?"  
  
"Maybe we should leave her alone and leave for Mexico." A african boy with humorous large brown doe eyes said. His face was gentle, yet his eyes sparked with intellegence and fire. "No." Mike said. "We... will watch her closely. We will see what we will do later. Right now... Let's leave her alone."  
  
The african spoke up, his accented speech made it a bit hard to understand, but after living with him for 4 years, Mike understood completely, and was infuriated.  
  
"So Mike has has a soft spot? Isn't that cute?"  
  
Mike's eyes flashed angrily. "Shut up Jeremiah... talk one more time and I'll knock your teeth out."  
  
"Try it Mo fo!" Jeremiah replied, his eyes flashing.  
  
"Shut up both of you!" Snakes said in a loud voice. "This is ridiculous, just follow what Mike says, he's usually right."  
  
To be Continued...  
  
Preview:  
  
Figures dressed in the darkness of night melded into the background. They watched silently as a pretty woman, tall and slender, got up from her bed in a blue and white hospital gown.   
  
"Should we go get her?" A voice whispered fiercely into the dark.  
  
"Shush, wait and see..."  
  
The girl got up and stretched. The figures noticed faint sunlight flitering in from the windows... Dawn was starting to break.  
  
"Shit... we have to go soon... do something!"  
  
The girl sighed, her green eyes sad and forlorn. She whispered something outloud. "I'm going home... today."  
  
"Mike we gotta get her now!"  
  
The boy stared at her from the shadows. "I... just leave her be... we'll catch her later..."  
  
Sakura frowned, she looked towards their direction. Gasping, Mike and his friends made their way back into the air duct.  
  
"Mike! Why didn't you do anything?!" Jeremiah demanded quietly, his brown eyes flashing angrily. However, the blue eyed young man looked dazed. His eyes were glazed over.   
  
'Wait... I can't be falling fo that rich bitch!' He thought feircely as he remebered her sweet yet sad face...  
  
'Th...that can't be true...' His eyes were wide. He trembled as he looked at his very impatient friends.  
  
"Leave her alone. We'll find her later."  
  
Special Thanks:  
  
lil-baby-azn-gurl (Yes, there will be T adn E coupling (= )  
  
kawaiitenshisakura  
  
wezL  
  
ac4cherryz  
  
Kawaii-Fairy-Emma  
  
meinien  
  
xxdarkstarxx  
  
arrow-card  
  
shima and tempis  
  
animeobsessionfantasy  
  
skiviry  
  
Ximena   
  
abc   
  
Crystal-chan  
  
zero-shadow  
  
athar-luna  
  
azndreamer1788  
  
kawaii-cherrywolf  
  
xx wolfpup xx  
  
silver star  
  
Sakuralover  
  
Mini Sweety  
  
Jezika  
  
A/N: Remeber to Read and review! =) Hope u like dis chapter- LOVE DA REVIEWS =D LOL. R and R! 


	11. Reawakening the Dark Past

Title: This is Not Enough  
  
Chapter Title: "Reawakening the Dark Past"  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
A/N: Hey everyone... Sorry for the lateness of it all- Gahhh. . I had some problems... tryouts, dance concerts all crammed in one. =D O well, Thanx for the reviews everyone! I loved them! My loyal everyday reviews- OMIGOD THANK YOU SO MUCH! You know who you are. :D After this chapter, I might be able to sqeeze in one more chapter before I leave for Korea. I won't be back for a month or two so I won't be updating in a while. Well, remeber to review. In Korea, I'll make sure- I'll check up on ya to see if ya reviewed. Thanks! On with the story!  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CCS!   
  
"Reawakening the Dark Past"  
  
Sakura was restless on the hospital cot. It was nearly dawn and she didn't even get to sleep a wink. Disturbing thoughts kept going through her mind.   
  
'That guy with the blue eyes... whats his name... Mike! I should report him...' Shivering as she remebered what had almost happened to her she hunkered down on her bed. 'Who would want to kill me? Those people had nothing really to do with me. They are not people I know. Somebody MUST have sent them!' Tears pricked her eyelids as she felt her lower lip tremble. 'Who would want to do that to me? What have I dont to them? Do I KNOW them?' A sudden revelation struck her as she realized that the questions answered themselves and pointed at a certain somebody.  
  
'It couldn't be!'  
  
She suddenly found it hard to breath as she repeated the questions in her head. The only person who would have any real hatred towards her or would want any harm to come to her was...  
  
She felt her heart flutter uncontrollably.  
  
A certain amber eyed chocolate brown haired boy came to mind.  
  
'Oh no... he... but... he ...' Unable to belive herself but finding it very reasonable, she let out a low cry and fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
----------------At Tory's Place----------  
  
Tory was nearly drunk with the memories of the past. Tears fell from his eyes as he gripped the bottle of wine with one hand. The world blurred before him and the motely colored light of the city in front of him blurred into a patchwork of bedazzling light.  
  
"Sakura, you would be happier this way.... Sakura." Sniffling, he wiped his tears.   
  
"Tory, come off it. Please. You're scaring me."  
  
A beautiful young woman with light brown hair and bright red eyes looked at him pleadingly, tears pricked her own eyes as they stood on the cliff over looking the town together. "You can't stay here too long... You're drunk and--."  
  
"Be quite Irene." Tory retorted. "She isn't your sister how would you know?" Recoiling from his sharp tone, the young woman brushed back a lock of hair. "Tory... I've never seen you so troubled... if only we can somehow catch Pearl in action--."  
  
"Listen Irene." Tory said, cutting her off. "You're no help. Go back to your boy friend Yukito and leave me alone. I don't need your pity." The girl stood there for a while, and slowly turned away.  
  
"Tory, I only wanted to help you."  
  
His sobs rang into the dark as he held his face and broke the bottle into a million shards on the floor. His hands bled from many cuts, but they didn't hurt as much as the turmoil within his heart.  
  
--------With Syaoran--------  
  
Syaoran quickly looked through files of any possible suspects.  
  
'Can't be Tomoyo, she's too honest and sincere with Sakura to be any threat... Ms Harku? No. She adores Sakura...' He let out a loud sigh. 'Then who could possible be a suspect? Nearly everyone cancels each other out!' Drumming his hand on the desk, he thought furiously. Sakura's tearful green eyes rose in his mind and he felt a lump rise in his throat.  
  
'I won't let her be killed. I'll protect her. That's the least I can do. After all I've done to her... she must hate me.' He ran his hand through his tawny hair and focused his eyes on the papers in front of him.  
  
'I have to go back to my company soon... I can't stay here forever. What can I do during this short period of time? What about when I'm away?' He suddenly envisioned the tall dark haired man named Tory standing next to Sakura, smiling at her.  
  
'Shit!' He cursed, suddenly angry at praticulary nothing. He turned and swiped at his vase and sent his blue china vase crashing to the floor.   
  
'Wait a second.' He thought, his eyes brightening all of a sudden. 'Of course... that black haired man can be a suspect...' Syaoran made an illogical outline in his head, but he was determined to prove Tory Kinomoto guilty. There was something about this man he didn't like. Meanwhile, he decided to go visit Sakura.  
  
--------------At the Hospital in the Shadows--------  
  
Figures dressed in the darkness of night melded into the background. They watched silently as a pretty woman, tall and slender, got up from her bed in a blue and white hospital gown.   
  
"Should we go get her?" A voice whispered fiercely into the dark.  
  
"Shush, wait and see..."  
  
The girl got up and stretched. The figures noticed faint sunlight flitering in from the windows... Dawn was starting to break.  
  
"Shit... we have to go soon... do something!"  
  
The girl sighed, her green eyes sad and forlorn. She whispered something outloud. "I'm going home... today."  
  
"Mike we gotta get her now!"  
  
The boy stared at her from the shadows. "I... just leave her be... we'll catch her later..."  
  
Sakura frowned, she looked towards their direction. Gasping, Mike and his friends made their way back into the air duct.  
  
"Mike! Why didn't you do anything?!" Jeremiah demanded quietly, his brown eyes flashing angrily. However, the blue eyed young man looked dazed. His eyes were glazed over.   
  
'Wait... I can't be falling fo that rich bitch!' He thought feircely as he remebered her sweet yet sad face...  
  
'Th...that can't be true...' His eyes were wide. He trembled as he looked at his very impatient friends.  
  
"Leave her alone. We'll find her later."  
  
Mike made his way down the air duct, his mind confused and clouded. What was this feeling? Could it be possible? With a girl he hardly knew? When they came out into the air, just as daylight broke across the trees, he suddenly understood, and groaned outloud.  
  
'I've fallen for Sakura Li.'  
  
Jeremiah emerged behind him, fusterated. "We was SO close! We could've done her in!" Mike slowly shook his head. "No." He whispered, facing his friends. "I'm going to talk to her." He said, his voice unwavering. "I'll tell her not to tell." "Holy shit! Are you loco or just plain insane?!" Snakes cried out, his eyes wide. "You know if we tell the truth and testify against that Kinomoto lady we're as good as dead!" Mike flinched. "We won't tell who, we lie." Mike said, a smile suddenly spreading across his handsome face.  
  
--------At the Hospital---------  
  
A tall woman with light blonde hair and a cold smile walked into the hospital. She wore a buisness like black suit with stylish pumps to accent her stylish atties. Large dangly silver earring dangled from her ears and a beautiful silver locket was strung around her neck. She was so beautiful that she drew eyes of every male in the room and made every other person in the room look dark and drab.   
  
"I'm here to see Ms. Li please." The woman quipped, her voice curt and short.  
  
"Room 203. Name please?"  
  
Irritated, the woman clutched her black gucci handbag with her claws tightly. "Kinomoto." She said quickly as she briskly walked towards room 203 on the second floor. She had to walk a long time before she came to the door. She noticed the door was slightly ajar and heard suitcases clicking within the doors. Pearl opened the door wide and smiled brightly at the young girl who turned up to look at her.  
  
"Mrs. Kinomoto!" came a startled gasp. The young girl stared at the older woman with suprise. "What brings you here?" Smiling rather benevolently, Pearl strode towards Sakura. "Ms. Li. I was so shocked at the news of your near to death. I had to come and see if you were ok." Sakura smiled brightly, blind to the rather dark and perverse look in the older womans eyes.   
  
"Oh, thank you Mrs. Kinomoto!" Sakura's smile faltered as something glinted on Pearls neck.  
  
"Oh..." Sakura gasped, staring at the silver locket. 'Oh... that looks familiar.' Sakura thought as she eyed the locket. Pearl frowned slightly and wrapped her hands around it.  
  
"Is there something wrong Miss?" Pearl asked, trying to keep the clipped and cold tone out of her voice.  
  
"Oh, no! Nothing at all!" Sakura said, jumping out of her revire. "That locket was just pretty. That's all." Pearl looked suddenly curious. "Oh really?" A rather evil look came over Pearls face as she stroked the locket gently. "This locket is beautiful isn't it? My best friend gave it to me before she died. It's a pity the song which once played in this locket suddenly died out." Pearls face was of mock saddness. She was mocking Sakura but Sakura was too naive to know that.  
  
"Oh! Was your friend nice?" Sakura asked, her eyes bright.  
  
"Oh, my friend was beautiful. She was a model for a famous teen magazine long time ago. She was an airhead and was quite stupid at times. She was a bit selfish and dense too." Pearl said rather nastily. Sakura's smile fell.  
  
"You were friends?" Sakura asked in disbelief. "You sound as if you hate her."  
  
"Oh we were friends all right." Pearl said, a rather canine grin touching her face. "Until the day she betrayed me and took my man away, and she eventually entangeled him in her posionous web and got him killed. He was the only man I could love."   
  
Sakura looked shocked. "Oh... oh..." Sakura said, unable to find any words. "W-w-hat was your friends name?"  
  
"Nadeshiko." Pearl said, her evil smile suddenly fading into a smile of total kindness. Sakura blinked, the name sounded familiar...  
  
"Nadeshiko Ayami..?" Sakura said, her voice a dream like whisper. Pearl looked startled. "What?!" She demanded sharply.  
  
"N-nothing. The name sounded familiar thats all." Sakura said, her voice a whisper. "Just like that black haired woman in my dreams... the name is familiar but so vauge..." Sakura said incoherently. But Pearl caught that immediately, her sharp mind taking in the warning signs of danger.   
  
"Miss Kinomoto. Since I see you are alright. I leave you with a basket of fruit. I have some work to do." Bowing, Pearls face tightened.  
  
"Oh, go on ahead Mrs. Kinomoto! I'd hate to hinder you!" Sakura said, her green eyes sparkeling, her previous muses forgotten. Sakura didn't know how ironic her words were.  
  
Pearl hurried out, her eyes squinted in thought.  
  
'She must be having some type of flashback... she... she might possibly remeber her past. This is bad. Good thing I checked up on her before the developments went too far. I have to plan her death fast. Before--.'  
  
Pearl let out a startled and enraged gasp as she bumped into someone roughly.  
  
"Sorry." Came a gruff voice. Pearl glared up at the tall man and frowned. 'He looks familiar...' Pearl thought. "Excuse me." She said stiffly as she yanked her clothes back in order and strode out.  
  
--Syaoran--  
  
Syaorans stared after the lady he had just bumped into.  
  
'Huh? She looks familiar... wait... wasn't she the lady who got hurt when Sakura was attacked by those men in suits?' Shoving that from his mind, he strode to Sakura's room and saw that she was already heading out and closing the door behind her.  
  
"Sakura?" He said in suprise.   
  
She was dressed in a pink and white sweater with loose pink sweatpants. She looked childish and very cute. Her hair was brushed back up into two pig tails and the healthy flush of her face had somewhat returned. She looked very fetching.  
  
"Syaoran?" She said in suprise. Something flashed in her eyes, soemthing dark and something that Syaoran sensed almost immediately.  
  
"Is something wrong?" He asked softly. "I'm sorry about what I've sai--."  
  
"It's fine Syaoran." Sakura said, cutting him off. Her eyes were cold. "Listen Syaoran. If you hate me, why don't you just go ahead and kill me? What did I ever do to you?" Angrily, she pushed past him adn jogged towards the door.  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran bellowed, his mind confused. He ran after her and tried to stop her, she already got into a cab.  
  
'Shit.' He thought angrily as he got in his car. Then an amused smile came to his lips.  
  
'Wait a sec. I have her keys...'   
  
------------  
  
Sakura fumed as she sat in the cab.   
  
'The nerves of him!' Sakura thought furiously. The cab driver sweatdropped as he heard her let out a muffled squeal of anger and start punching the back of his seat.  
  
"Lady- If you would please mind..."  
  
Sakura blinked through her haze of rage. "Ohhh! Gomen nasai!" Sakura said hurriedly, fumbling to regain her composure. The cab driver, who was missing his two front teeth, smiled at her and went back to driving. Sakura sighed and toyed with her suitcase handle.   
  
For some strange reason the thought of the locket shining on Pearls neck kept distracting her from any furthur thought.  
  
'That locket was sooo familiar. I know I saw it before...' Frowning slightly she toyed with the suit case handle again. 'It'll come to me sooner or later.' She thought, dismissing it as she got out of the cab, handing the driver a 10 dollar bill.  
  
"Thank you." Sakura said serenly. The driver smiled again and nodded.  
  
"Lady- I should thank you." He waved good bye to her and turned around to drive off towards the street. Sakura looked up at her mansion. The sky was unatrually bright and the sun shone benevolently on her home.  
  
'How ironic, after what happened to me...' She sighed as she punched in the code to get into her house. The gates swung open and closed slowly behind her as she stepped in.  
  
The wind blew gently across the canopy of the trees, making the vivid green leaves flutter against the cool wind. Somewhere in the distance a windchime rang and filled the air with a light sprinkle of silvery sound. She went up the path towards her home and fumbled into her bag for the keys.  
  
'Huh?'  
  
She searched everywhere, then she realized soemthing...  
  
'HOE! I FORGOT MY KEYS!'  
  
------------------------  
  
  
  
Syaoran smiled, he punched in the number to open the gate. He knew Sakura would be in there, stuck. She could'nt get in. That girl was sometimes adorably cute. He heard her before he saw her.  
  
"HOOOE- TOMOYO! I FORGOT MY KEYS!"  
  
He smiled as he stepped out from behind a bush, right in front of a startled Sakura, who was holding a cell phone, and took out her keys and jangeled them in front of her face.  
  
"Forgot something?" He said sarcastically.  
  
A look of pure fury passed by her face.  
  
"SYAORAN!" She screeched, she lunged towards him and grabbed at her keys but he held them away. "What would you do for me in exchange of this key?" He asked teasingly. Confused by his sudden playfulness, Sakura frowned.  
  
"I'll rabbit punch your nose in."  
  
"Ouch." He replied, faking a grimace. Then he dropped the key in his pocket. "I guess you won't be needing this then." He replied. uUmfounded by his sudden playful mood, Sakura stared at him.  
  
"Is there something wrong with you?" She asked incredoulesly.  
  
Syaoran cocked his head, "Not really." He said, looking a lot like a curious puppy dog.  
  
"Do you take happy pills or do you have some bipolar disorder?!" She exclaimed. Slamming her hand down on her open palm. He looked started. "Huh?" Sakura looked at him straight in the eye, her eyes green and very sharp.   
  
"Ok, you get angry at me a lot, then you can act really nice. Then you put me down. Then you hurt my feelings. Now you're being playful and cute. What the heck is the matter with you? Your personality is amorphous and unpredictable!" Sakura suddenly looked drained of energy. 'I can't understand. Can it possibly be?'  
  
Syaoran frowned. "What are you talking about?" He asked gruffly. "Maybe it's just you." He said as he turned around and opened the gate. "You coming?" He asked Sakura. Sakura gaped.  
  
"M-my suitcase." She muttered. Syaoran waved a hand. "Leave them here, no one is going to take them." Sakura suddenly looked defeated and trailed after Syaoran. Her cell phone was forgotten. Tomoyo's confused voice rang from the cell phone and there was a click. Sakura had closed the phone.  
  
-----------------  
  
Sakura was utterly confused. It was a bit obvious. Syaoran seemed to hate her, yet some things seemed to justify it, and some things seem to oppose her thoughts. Confused and a bit irked, she stared out the windsheild of Syaorans car. There was dark heavy silence. She didn't know what to say. Unspoken rage came from her small body, and... she didn't know how Syaoran was feeling.   
  
"Where are you taking me?" She finally demanded. She was a bit afraid that he was taking her to her death...  
  
"Someplace. In order for me to return your keys, you have to do me a favor." Sakura looked appalled. "A FAVOR? Since WHEN did I have to do that?!" Syaoran looked at her with his cocky grin. "Now." He replied. Sakura shivered and trembled. There was another heavy silence. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Maybe it was just her, but from the corner, she just realized how intimidating Syaoran looked. He was tall, large... well built, and a threat. He could do any type of physical harm to her, like the time he had slapped her. The shadows created by the light made him look even more frightful.  
  
'Maybe he does plan to kill em and gain the Li Co. after all.' She thought grimly as they rounded a corner. She had no real choice, it wasn't like she could jump out of the car window...  
  
"We're here." He said brusquely. The sharp halting of his car brought her out of her deep thoughts. "Oh." Came the small whisper from her throat. Now that she looked at him, she was genuinely scared of him. He frightened her. Her heart started to speed up. She surveyed her surroundings. It was a grim dark place with several tall trees surrounding the area...  
  
'He can crush me with his hands.' She thought breathlessly. However, her step-brother held out a hand. "Hey, snap out of it. Come on." Sakura started to tremble.   
  
'No one may know...' She thought dizzily. She stepped back. "No." She replied, her voice a faint rasp. Syaoran looked puzzeled. "Are you still mad at me?"  
  
Sakura did not reply, she was suddenly very afraid. She was paranoid. The moon shone on her delicate features. The silvery moon peeked out from behind the velvety darkness, like a curious child.   
  
Something about the situation did not go well with Sakura. Something was wrong. Something threatened to rise out fo Sakura's throat... Then... it tore out. A loud scream.  
  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Sakura suddenly screamed, tears started to fall from her face. Flashes of unfamiliar yet familiar faces flashed across her mind.  
  
A dark place.  
  
The moon was shining down on her...  
  
A forboding person stood on the other side of the darkness.  
  
Then... she felt sharp pain.... and... she remebered a flash of silver... and something red. Someone was yelling...  
  
"SAKURA!!"  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Tomoyo looked dully out into her world. It was so dark and he moon peeked out from behind the clouds. Eriol was gone. Forever. Sadly, she looked at the painting, the unfinished "masterpeice" which stood on her wall. Her tears were gone, mere saddness and a void filled her troubled mind. She had waited for his call all day and recieved none. Instead, she had recived a call from Sakura, and was cut off from Sakura's ranting about losing her keys. But that didn't trouble her at all. She had been stupid, and selfish.  
  
'I lost the man I loved the most, being selfish.' She thought emptily. Sleep caught up with her, fatigue weighed down her bones and calmed her grief ridden mind... she gradually faded into the black pitch of sleep, and didn't hear the high peircing scream which faded away like the tinkering of bells into the night.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Mike felt as if he was going crazy. He had ditched his friends in order to stalk that rich green eyed bitch. Yes. He decided he was going crazy. His blue eyes scanned the area slowly. She still wasn't home. None of the house lights were on... Feeling uneasy, he sat down in the undergrowth, holding his blond head.  
  
'What am I doing?' He thought. He had told Jeremiah and his friend Snake that he was going out to a "blue house" to sleep with some chick for fun and he came all the way over to the rich neighborhood and was finding himself drawn to a certain green eyed girl. He checked his watch, it was 11:00, and she still wasn't home.  
  
'I should go.' He thought feverishly. He was going crazy, loco, he needed to go have his head checked or something. But then, he stared at the floor, at his worn down timberlands and at the green grass underneath his feet. He had never met a girl like her. She was strange. She was so naive, innocent... so damn... pure and pureply forbidden to him. He liked that. She seemed to have genuinely cared about who he was. He liked that too. No one really asked for his name. He grinned slightly, and his face fell, and became cold and emotionless.   
  
He killed people for a living, and hunted other gangs as well. He looted off of some unfortunate person who may have entered his territory... he really should kill Sakura. But suddenly, he was sick and tired of killing people, he was tired of it. He really envied those people with families.  
  
'I used to have one.' He thought, with a faint smile which quickly faded away into a grimace of pain. Except his father had been a drunk, his mother a freaking prostitute who threw him away like he was nothing, and he had two little sister, one who have been killed by his father abusive nature, and his youngest retarded brother. Yes, he had a family. But, his fathers brutal beating and his siblings dependency had been too much on him, and he had ran away when he was 10, with dreams of returning a famous movie star. He had been a runaway model, till he had been sexually abused by the director, who had been a rather old woman, who looked more like a man then a woman. He had only been 13 at that time. He had later murdered the director, and ran away, int ehs afety of a gang. That was where he met Snakes and Jeremiah.   
  
They had been shattered.   
  
Mike took out a cigarette and lit it with a lighter. 'Shit, Life is hard.' He thought lazily, his eyes glazed over from past hurts. He was startled out of his thoughts when he heard the roar of an engine. Quickly snuffing out his cigarette he leaned towards the gates and spotted a man. Yes, a man, carrying Sakura into the building.  
  
"What the hell--." He muttered under his breath. He felt betrayed, but he swallowed it, he had been hurt many times before, why not now? He got up casually, and walked away. He heard the metallic click of the gates behind him... and sighed.  
  
'Lousy Hopes.' He thought nastily, but when he pictured Sakura Li's beauitful face, his hard resolve to kill her slowly melted away, and he felt as if he could learn to love again.   
  
----------------  
  
"STOP!" Sakura screamed, she jerked awake, sweat drenching her hair and streaking her face. She blinked. She was home. What was going on?   
  
"Shhh..." Someone whispered. Sakura turned towards the voice and blinked. Syaoran was there, a cold rag was in his hand and he was wiping the sweat from her face. His expression was unreadable. Syaoran didn't look at her directly in the eyes, he seemed to be scared... scared of something. Sakura stared at him... and felt her heart lurch adn flutter.  
  
'How could've I've been so stupid?' She realized. She watched his face, looking painstakingly gentle as he wiped her face... His face had a strange gentleness that she had only sensed before. How could she have suspected him? The hidden kindness... his akwardness with emotions...  
  
Sakura stared and saw Syaoran as who he was.  
  
She realized that he was very akward with his feelings. She noticed that a slight blush had graced his face, his eyes met hers for a brief second, emotion suddenly lit his face, and dissappeared, and he suddenly became very clumsy and akward. He became slightly stiff. SHe could feel it, the stiffening of his limbs as he held the rag to her face... he dropped the rag clumsily and turned red and looked away quickly.  
  
The mask rose again, the cold mask that she had faced many times before.   
  
"Syaoran..." She whispered, suddenly emotions wracked her body. "I-i'm sorry." She said, tears fileld her eyes and spilled over. SYaoran looekd alarmed as he heard those words... and when he saw her tears he jumped up in alarm.  
  
"What did I do this time?" He asked, pleading. He seemed genuinely confused and sorry.   
  
"Nothing... Syaoran... Oh... I'm so sorry." She said tearfully. Syaoran suddenly was at her side. He gripped her arm and shook her. "Sorry about what Sakura?" He pleaded. Sakura shook her head.   
  
"Oh Syaoran. I'm sorry I suspected you were the person out to kill me."  
  
There was sudden silence... the only sound ringing in the room was her sharp sobs... He let go of Sakura adruptly.  
  
"You thought that was me?" He asked bluntly, his voice impassive. His eyes looked cold.  
  
"Sorry..." Sakura repeated, tearfully.... "I don't know what came over me. I was suddenly so... I just jumped to conclusion... Syaoran..."  
  
A hurt and angry look crossed his eyes but instead he walked next to Sakura, his voice sounded throaty with emotion. "Was I that cruel? Sakura. I should be sorry." Sakura heaved another sob and sighed, feeling better.  
  
"I'm sorry I suspected you." She said. Syaoran hugged her tightly... She felt comforted. Her eyes closed slightly... She felt so... happy. She could'nt understand it. The dream she had, those strange visions suddenly drifted away, until Syaoran whispered inher ear.  
  
"Sakura... What were you talking about when you said in your sleep... "Don't come near me, you killed father," in Japansese? I know you don't know any Japanese anymore." Sakura felt her heart race and her eyes widened as she heard the echo of those words in her mind.  
  
---------------------------  
  
Pearl took out a cigarette and took a puff. Her eyes were narrowed into slits.  
  
'She remebers some things...' She stared as she remebered Sakura looking really dreamy and mentioning her arch rivals name...   
  
"Nadeshiko Ayami..."  
  
Sakura, if she had indeed lost all her momeries, would've not remebered that. Things were worst then she thought. She had to get rid of Sakura. Sakura was beggining to be a bigger threat to her. It wasn't just revenge anymore. Her life was at stake. If Sakura regained her memory... let's just say that Pearl Trinity Kinomoto would be in deep shit now. Pearl let out a puff os smoke from her mouth and narrowed her eyes. A plan formed her head. Something so bizzare anad devious that an evil smirk came across her features.   
  
'I'll covict Tory... Poor Tory. He'll be out of the picture within days.'   
  
She removed her cigarettefrom her mouth and tossed it onto the floor of her persian carpet, not minding that her cigarette was bruning a hole in her carpet, and smashed it with the heel of her boots. A thin trickle of gray smoke came from the smoldering small flame which died out slowly...  
  
------------------------  
  
Syaoran felt a deep rush of emotion as he held Sakura, but what he heard during her sleep... her brief and very troubled sleep, troubled him greatly. Sakura forgot all her Japanese and yet, she spoke in Japanese in her sleep. He knew those words. He lived in Japan for a while during his older years... It seemed strange... Could it be? Sakura was having falshabcks from the past?   
  
Sakura was stiff in his arms, her heart was fluttering fast and quickly. Syaoran knew something was wrong. "Sakura?" he asked. She felt so fragile, his to protect, his to keep. He could almost imagine himself as her lover instead of her brother, 'Step-brother.' He corrected. He felt a sudden rush of love for Sakura... and pretened, and fancied, that she was returning his love to him. She broke his fantasy.  
  
  
  
"Someone stabbed me."   
  
Her voice was thin and scared. He moved away from her slowly, his heart racing as he realized... maybe she wasn't an orphan? Maybe, she was linked to a dark past? The rest of her words seemed to confirm his words, and a rush of protectivness and anger rushed into his veins like fire.  
  
"I saw someone whom I called father... and he was lying on the floor, dead... with blood coming from his lips. I could'nt see his face, he was lying int he other direction and it was very dark... and someone stabbed me and told me I was... something... I-i... my head hurts."  
  
Sakura turned away, her face haggard.  
  
Syaoran knew that there was something worst.  
  
The past was coming to haunt Sakura. But the thing was, Syaoran didn't know whether he should like this or not.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Sorry, I could'nt write the special reviews cuz the stupid site is overloading. =] Hope u lyked it and excuse me for my grammical mistakes and sp mistakes as well- I really didn't have time to proofread it. Thanks! =] Remeber to Read and Review!!  
  
PREVIEW:  
  
The doctor took off his silverish trifocals with great care. However, the look on the womans face was grim, though a smile was pasted on her face.   
  
"Ms. Li. I'm afraid I am about to tell you something that may shock you greatly."  
  
  
  
Sakura looked dazed as she held onto Syaorans hands tightly. The beautiful young girl with light brown hair shivered slightly. The amber haired boy with dark chocolate eyes looked intently at the doctor.  
  
"What is it Dr. Kaho? Can you tell me... us... what is happening?"  
  
Dr. Kaho looked away. "Mr. Li. You did tell me that yoru sister here..." She poitned at Sakura, "... was adopted... am I right?" Syaoran nodded slowly. The doctor took a deep breath. "Sakura said she had no recollection of ehr past... before she was an orphan... am I correct?" Again there was the nod.  
  
Dr. Kaho smiled softly. "I do not know if this is bad or good news Ms. Li. From what I've heard from your medical reports and from what the shrink, Mr. Pope, has told me... You are having recollections of the past. Whatever you have forgotten is coming back to you. That, may be a good thing. You might find you family... But, from what you have told Mr. Pope from your hypnotic stage, it may not be a good thing."  
  
Sakura blinked. "Why... not?" Sakura asked, her mind whirling.  
  
"Ms. Sakura. You seem to have a traumatic and horribly dark past... Your mind may have blocked it out on purpose in order to keep you from collapsing or malfunctioning."  
  
Sakura held her breath as the doctors voice droned on.  
  
" You may see things which will trigger those memories... Like a knife. Once these memories are triggered. It is up to you to understand how to deal with them. There is a cost Ms. Li... You will soon learn. You can take this as a gift, or a curse." The doctor smiled slightly. "We will do as much as we can to help you Ms. Li."  
  
Syaoran stared at the floor...  
  
'Can it be?" He thought as he looked at the floor.  
  
'Can the person trying to kill Sakura be someone from the past? Someone who would'nt want her to remeber anything?' 


	12. Convict Tory, and New Emotions

Title: "This is Not Enough"  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
Chapter Title: "Convict Tory and New Emotions"  
  
A/N: Sorry for the late update- I got back from Korea a few days ago- It wuz fun. =D Hope you like this chapter- I'm going to end this soon so I'm cramming things into this short chapter! Hope ya lyke and remember to read and review! Tell me what *you* think!  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
  
  
Title:"Convict Tory and New Emotions"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Dark amber eyes watched Sakura as she slept.  
  
'She looks so helpless...'  
  
He stared at her still form, smiling as he watched her snuggle up to the pillow. A frown crossed his face as he remembered her words... 'Someone stabbed me.' If his prediction was correct... then... He shook his head.  
  
'I'm not going to think about it right now.'  
  
He looked at the clock, it was three in the morning, and he really needed to go to sleep. Still disturbed about what she said, he walked out the room and slept on the couch.  
  
-------------  
  
The blonde man with blue eyes snuffed out his cigarette and eyed the bag he had beside him. He had gotten a wad of cash from it, that was nice, but he was more interested in its other contents. Within the bag he found her drivers license and her planner. He smiled; it was a cute little thing. However, he was more interested in the pictures that were inside.  
  
There were many pictures of Sakura... Sakura with her friend... Sakura with a tall woman... Sakura under a tree. It was bliss.  
  
He put away the picture in his pocket, including her driver¡¯s license. He found out her birthday was April 1.   
  
'Nice.' He thought. What really made him curious was that Pearl had called him and asked for another service, including this girl. His first impulse was to say no, but this might be the last chance to talk to her. Not to mention the wad of cash he was to get. He wasn't going to kill her; he might just spare her life.   
  
--------------  
  
Sakura went to see a shrink and a doctor.  
  
Syaoran had made sure of that.  
  
She had refused to at first, bursting into tears and accusing him of thinking her as some strange "freak". But he eventually convinced her to go. He was waiting outside the door, waiting for her to emerge. Sakura did.  
  
She looked beautiful and fragile, her eyes large and green and her face pale and wane.   
  
The doctor came in behind Sakura and took a seat at the desk, motioning for Sakura to sit. Sakura looked traumatized, she was shivering when Syaoran managed to get her down to sit. He chafed her arms with his hands, hoping she would feel better.  
  
"Ms. Li. I know this was hard for you, what we did in there seemed to make you scared."  
  
Syaoran was confused, but Sakura spoke before he could. "Could my dreams... dreams be real?" She blurted, her face flushing at how childish she sounded.  
  
The doctor took off her silver colored trifocals with great care. However, the look on the woman¡¯s face was grim, though a smile was pasted on her face.   
  
"Ms. Li. I'm afraid I am about to tell you something that may shock you greatly."  
  
  
  
Sakura looked dazed as she held onto Syaorans hands tightly. The beautiful young girl with light brown hair shivered slightly. The amber haired boy with dark chocolate eyes looked intently at the doctor.  
  
"What is it Dr. Kaho? Can you tell me... us... what is happening?"  
  
Dr. Kaho looked away. "Mr. Li. You did tell me that your sister here..." She pointed at Sakura, "... was adopted... am I right?" Syaoran nodded slowly. The doctor took a deep breath. "Sakura said she had no recollection of her past... before she was an orphan... am I correct?" Again there was the nod.  
  
Dr. Kaho smiled softly. "I do not know if this is bad or good news Ms. Li. From what I've heard from your medical reports and from what the shrink, Mr. Pope, has told me... You are having recollections of the past. Whatever you have forgotten is coming back to you. That may be a good thing. You might find you family... But, from what you have told Mr. Pope from your hypnotic stage, it may not be a good thing."  
  
Sakura blinked. "Why... not?" Sakura asked, her mind whirling.  
  
"Ms. Sakura. You seem to have a traumatic and horribly dark past... Your mind may have blocked it out on purpose in order to keep you from collapsing or malfunctioning."  
  
Sakura held her breath as the doctor¡¯s voice droned on.  
  
" You may see things which will trigger those memories... Like a knife. Once these memories are triggered. It is up to you to understand how to deal with them. There is a cost Ms. Li. You will soon learn. You can take this as a gift, or a curse." The doctor smiled slightly. "We will do as much as we can to help you Ms. Li."  
  
Syaoran stared at the floor...  
  
'Can it be?" He thought as he looked at the floor.  
  
'Can the person trying to kill Sakura be someone from the past? Someone who wouldn¡¯t want her to remember anything?'  
  
--------------------------------  
  
Syaoran didn't know how right he was.  
  
Meanwhile, the murderer whom he was talking about, no murderess was already setting up her action of blaming Tory for anything Sakura was going through into action. The beautiful yet elderly lady sat at the police office with her face set into a sorrowful mask. God, she was an actor all right. Her baby blue eyes looked tearful and her perfect skin was marred with a false worried wrinkle on her forehead. Impatient, she didn't let it show except for the faint and rhythmic tapping of her silvery high heels against the floor.  
  
"I just wanted to tell you just how worried I am!" She said, faking a warbled note of sympathy and false fear in her voice. "After I heard about Sakura's accident I was so worried... and it was far from my mind that my beloved son Tory could've done any wrong!" A let her voice crack with sadness... a sadness that wasn't there. "Until I saw this... Oh this is too much..." She took out something from her bag... it was a picture of Sakura (from a magazine) with slash marks across her face and a pile of business paper from his companies talking about the past negotiation. "I never thought he could store so much hatred... I know... I love him too much to let him go on like this... I-i-i heard him talk about the Li Company so hatefully after that company broke some vital connections with the Nadeshiko Company... I-I don't know whether I feel ok by doing this... this is such a bad... bad ... you know... to my conscious..."  
  
The policeman didn't detect the hateful break when she said "Nadeshiko" and looked at with a sorrowful face. "You must make painful decisions when you have to do the right thing... What you did is right Mrs. Kinomoto. Without this vital information Ms. Li might've die in the future if this information was not to be known¡¦ We appreciate your help Mrs. Kinomoto¡¦ This violent outbursts of wrongdoing will be dismantled before they can fester and become any worse.¡±  
  
Mrs. Kintomoto faked some tears but smiled inwardly to herself in glee. ¡®Now, a few more things to do before this plan is done over with¡¦¡¯   
  
--------------------------------  
  
Nxt morning Syaoran takes Sakura to the police station...  
  
"Is there anyone you can identify during that accident where you were beaten nearly to death?"  
  
Sakura was silent. She could remember everything clearly... so vividly that she could've made a movie with it, including every single second and detail with meticulous care. However something held her back. So, instead she shook her head.   
  
"Actually, everything is a bit fuzzy..." She said. The police looked at her critically and accepted the false answer with a nod.  
  
"That is the case for most victims of a violent outburst."  
  
Sakura nodded mutely, not catching the disbelieving look from Syaoran, who stood protectively at the other side of the room.  
  
"When I recall anything... I'll tell you." Sakura said, her voice thin and whiny. The policeman nodded, his dark brown hair and freckled face content.  
  
"That's good enough. Go on now. We'll have this case settled in no time."  
  
------------------------------  
  
Early the next morning...  
  
A beautiful young woman with auburn hair and beautiful jade green eyes smiled sweetly as she heard her answering machine... It was Tomoyo... and she sounded pretty happy... only she didn't meet Eriol... She met some other guy. But a tint of sadness was in her voice, Sakura could hear it.  
  
[Hey Sakura! I see you aren't home... must be hectic back there right? *YOU* should take a vacation. I made some new dresses; they were influenced by some European style. Hehehe... I got a new boyfriend... (pause) He's all right. He cares a lot about me and I think it's serious. That's nice. But he has the same navy eyes as Eriol... never mind, I have to go! Many things to-- *BEEP*]  
  
'She's not over him.' Sakura thought sadly. Sadly enough, she herself had never really been in an intimate relationship with the opposite sex so she wasn't so sure about her statement later. Such a beautiful girl with many guys flocking around her, waiting in a line to get her attention.  
  
She never noticed.  
  
Maybe you can say she was dense... maybe you can even say she was stupid. Period. But she was still young and still had much time to go.  
  
Smiling to herself she fiddled with the golden sun locket in her little wooden box she kept in her drawers.   
  
'So pretty.' She thought dreamily. She snapped out of her thoughts when her eyes happened to stray to her clock.  
  
"Oh no!" Sakura gasped. It was already time for work. Looking in the mirror she patted her hair vainly and grabbed her purse. She pushed open the door to Syaorans room to see if he was awake and found herself staring at a rather nice scene...  
  
Syaoran was asleep, his arms folded about his head with brown wisps of chestnut hair covering some parts of his face. Sakura found herself staring at him and smiling slightly... He looked so much like a child. A gentle smile played on his sleeping face as Sakura walked over and started to touch his face. Her fingers were millimeters away and she found herself shaking.  
  
'He's so cute...' Sakura thought fondly... and realized just how tired he must be. His easy breathing and the rise and fall of his chest was a faint lull in the silent room. She almost got caught in the spell of the moment... but realized just how close her face was getting to his face. Not comprehending the rather fluttery feeling she had in her stomach, she stared at him adoringly as she turned to leave.  
  
'He must be so tired, he stayed up all night on something... and he was so concerned about me...'   
  
Shutting the door softly behind her, she left with a buoyant heart.  
  
------------------------------  
  
With a beautiful raven haired girl...  
  
A rather tall woman with dark raven hair pulled into two pigtails fiddled with the sipper of her light crisp red jacket. The elder has decided, finally, to tell Syaoran about his engagement with Meiling. Her heart was all a flutter and her ruby red lips were parted with anticipation as she made her shaky hands take her cell phone and dial Syaorans number.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Emerald eyes sparkled with life as she skipped down to her office building... all her past dark thoughts and memory was thrown away and she basking in sunlight again. Stopping in front of the office building she stretched luxuriously and yawned... drawing rather lusty stares from males walking around her, she was quite... unknowing of these situations. She was about to skip right in when someone grabbed her arm... and all her recollections of some sort of past, nightmares, and fears rushed back into her body and she almost screamed... and almost fainted when her eyes met two frost blue ones. Long aristocratic fingers gripped her arm, a handsome face framed by longish white blonde hair stared down at her and smiled...  
  
'What... what does he want?' Sakura thought fearfully to herself.  
  
"Hello Sakura." Mike said softly. "Do you know what today is?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, trembling.  
  
A smile grew on his face... a beautiful smile, but Sakura couldn¡¯t trust the smile of someone who tried to kill her...  
  
------------------------------  
  
He felt her sweet soft hands caressing his face... he knew who it was before he turned around to see her face.   
  
'Sakura...'  
  
Syaoran turned around and gave Sakura a heartwarming smile. She smiled at him, cocking her head at him mutely and shyly she played with the hem of her shirt. A habit she had when she was young. The habit only came out when she was nervous now that she was older. She smiled at him silently, her eyes glimmering with life.  
  
'Sakura...'  
  
"Do you like me?" She asked softly, surprising Syaoran. The voice which emerged from her was that of a Childs... not of the current Sakura.  
  
"Yes... Of course..." He sadly remembered he used to say the opposite when she asked him when she was little.  
  
"You do?" Her eyes glittered with tears. "Thank you..." Sakura smile suddenly vanished and a look of horror came over her face and she was screaming. Syaoran felt his heart lurch. "Sakura? Are you ok? Sakura?"  
  
Sakura was growing younger and younger as each second past till she was the little orphan he had seen at the airport when he was little... her face was tear stained.  
  
"Who am I?" She whispered. "Am I really Sakura? Who is that person who was lying on the floor in a pool of blood in my dreams?" Her face contorted into a look of a child lost and hopeless.  
  
"Doesn't anyone love me?" Her voice was become tinier as she seemed to shrink.  
  
"Of course people love you... Sakura, everyone does!" Syaoran said truthfully.  
  
"Then why did they leave me?" Sakura asked, she looked up. "No one loved me, they all left me... I have no one..." She started to disappear.  
  
"SAKURA!" Syaoran yelled. "Wait! Someone does love you- Sakura!" He reached for her arm and pulled as hard as he can... He was afraid to lose her.  
  
And woke up startled as he heard a loud clatter.  
  
"Oh... another dream." Syaoran thought to himself. Rubbing his forehead he looked around his room... It was late morning. Sakura must've left already.  
  
'Another shitty dream.' He thought to himself.  
  
He heard a familiar tune and turned to find his vibrating cell phone in his jacket pocket.  
  
------------  
  
Tory couldn¡¯t believe what was happening.  
  
In the middle of the night cops suddenly rushed into his house and handcuffed him.  
  
He was still in his pajamas. Enraged he struggled in his bonds only to have a cop come to him and read him his Miranda rights.  
  
"What's going on?!" He busted out, a vein popping out of his head in confusion and anger. A cop chuckled. "Don't act innocent, you're coming with us." Hauling Tory up onto his feet, the cop dragged him to the police car... actually, it took a few policemen. Tory struggled in vain and caught sight of a pair of icy victorious blue eyes. Then everything came into place.  
  
"Pearl!" He bellowed. No one heard him. They pushed him into the police car and shut the door, Tory glared at Pearl from his window and was met with a victorious cocky stared. He was defeated... He slumped forward in defeat. He closed his eyes tightly and silent tears of anguish came as realizations crashed down on him.  
  
Sakura was going to die.  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N: Sorry ppl- No preview this time~ =L  
  
Special thanx to everyone who reviewed- and ta my royal reviewers such as xxwolfpupxx (not that I'm pointing out one person- a lot of ppl were kind enough to leave me a review for every chapter starting from day 1 =D)  
  
Loved all of yoru reviews~ =D Thanks SOOO much for them! Remember to R and R!  
  
Thanks to....  
  
-Crystal (Thanks for the review- =D)  
  
-ac4cherryz  
  
-silverstarz424  
  
-sailorgirl686  
  
-magicknightnancy  
  
-sakuratenshi89  
  
-lifes-mysteries18  
  
-btnh   
  
-sidney  
  
-sally  
  
-Bloodlust night  
  
-Wezl  
  
-Yang Lang  
  
-Kawaii_cherrywolf  
  
-cherrixwolf  
  
-skiviry  
  
-Mindy  
  
-Amelle  
  
-xxdarkstarxx  
  
-yuffie001  
  
-shima and tempis  
  
-Animeobsessionfantasy  
  
-The girl who cried oro  
  
-chibi kero-chan  
  
-Angelie-Sakura  
  
-Winged Gaurdian  
  
-Amanda panda1  
  
-Mini Sweety ~ (Oops sorry, I didn't get Tory to say that he's Saku-chans bro in this chap- I'm going to put a diffrent twist with that- its coming soon don't worry!)  
  
-Iris7  
  
-Sakura Lova  
  
-Sakura Angel14  
  
Puh-Leeze Read and review thanku! =D 


	13. Kidnapped

Title: This is Not Enough  
  
Chapter Title: Kidnapped  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
DISCLAIMER: As it goes... blah blah i dont own ccs.  
  
A/N: I am in a bit of a hurry, so I'm posting this with no special thanks, sorry- =P I have to work on my other story, "Mercy for the Damned" and "The Winding Path" So... I'm ending this story in approx. 3-5 more chapters! =) Thanks for the review as always! Hope you read my other stories! =D Thank you and remeber to R and R! (This ch. is a bit short... Sorry. Writers Block.)  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
--------------------------------  
  
The adburn haired woman kicked and struggled with all her might but this mans grip was too strong and she soon gave up. However the firey green eyes stayed rebellious and angry with her captor.   
  
"Let go of me!" She said as he dragged her to his beat down car. How could anyone not notice she was being abducted? She started to scream out loud and saw that everyone was distracted with someone else. A young man by the name of Snakes had fell down the stairs and got himself hurt. Fusterated she bit her captors arm. He let out a yelp of pain but didn't loosen his hold as he pinned her to the seat and tied her hands tightly with a rope and gagged her. Angrily glaring at him she managed to kick his shin with her Gucci high heeled shoes.  
  
"Shit! You are going to pay for that!" He growled angrily as he slammed the door shut and went to the drivers side. Sakura let out a muffled scream of fusteration as she was being abducted.  
  
'Someone! Somebody please help!'  
  
With Syaoran...  
  
"Hello?"  
  
He asnwered his cell phone, fully knowing that is was Meiling calling.  
  
"Syaoran!" Her voice was overly cheerful. She sounded nervous, and Syaoran detected that.  
  
"Meiling? I haven't heard from you in a while. Why did you call?" He asked, his voice monotone.  
  
  
  
There was a pause. 'Straight to the point. That's Syaoran.' Meilign thought grimly as she played with a strand of her black hair.  
  
"I-i-i..." There was a long pause and a sound of uneven breathing. Syaoran raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Well?"  
  
Meiling scrunched up her face and let it all out.  
  
"We're getting married in a month."  
  
There was a long pause and the sound of a clattering cell phone.  
  
Tory...  
  
'Shit shit SHIT!' Tory thought to himself. He paced his cell with growing anger. 'I should've told her! I should've told her so she could be aware but no... I was a bit stupid!' Then he relaxed. 'I never thought Pearl would go into action this fast... She must be desperate... I'll get Yukito to try to bail me out.' He leaned against the iron bars.  
  
"Excuse me but can I use a phone?!"  
  
A policeman came up to him with a wary look.   
  
"No."  
  
"I have my rights you fucking bastard!" Tory ranted. The policeman face turned purplish red.  
  
"You have NO right to--."  
  
There was womanly laughter. A tall policewoman with curly long black hair and dark black eyes approached them. She was a police woman in uniform. Tory gasped. She was almsot the image of his mother... Almost. But this womans nose was too sharp and her eyes were black like coal. His mothers eyes were green like the lush rainforests of South America.  
  
"Let him use his phone Ralph."  
  
Her voice was sharp and hard. His mothers was always soft warm and gentle...  
  
The woman looked up at Tory, her eyes gentle, although her voice was rough and harsh. "Go use the phone. Only for 5 minutes." Tory muttered his thanks as she opened his jail cell to accompany him to the phone.  
  
Syaoran...  
  
'I can't believe this is happening to me...' Syaoran thought to himself darkly. 'Not again! The elders are trying to control my life again! I don't want to marry Meiling!' Fusterated with himself he grabbed his cellphone and threw it out the window.  
  
There was a loud crash as the glass shattered against the impact.  
  
"Why the HELL are you DOING THIS TO ME!" Syaoran yelled. The strain of being the only male heir in his clan was too great. He hated this. He had to run away... In an almost crazed manner, he got up, shoved everything off his desk and fell onto his bed.  
  
  
  
'I don't love her.' Syaoran thought with sudden realization.  
  
'I love...'  
  
It was unfinished. He didn't want to admit to the truth.  
  
'I love no one.'  
  
Tomoyo... in Europe.  
  
Tomoyo was having a great time with the new guy, but her thoughts kept drifting back to a handsome dark haired artist by the name of Eriol. It didn't seem right. She had tried calling Sakura's cell earlier, but she kept getting a busy signal.   
  
'She must be busy...' Tomoyo thought absent mindedly as she scratched the itch behind her ear. She brushed a strand of purple hair away from her eyes and looked around the resturant absent mindedly. Her eyes found something which made her heart leap... was that Eriol? Excusing herself she got up and walked towards the figure.  
  
"Eriol?" She asked hopefully.  
  
However the man turned around and stared at her. "Sorry Miss. You must've gotten the wrong person." Tomoyo was dissapointed. This man had Eriols hair and posture... but his eyes were as brown as the earth under her feet. As she trudged back, feeling a bit down, her cell phone rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
There was a quick gasp for breathe on the other side.  
  
"Oh Ms. Daiijabou! Ms. Li is missing!"  
  
Sakura...  
  
Sakura was tied in a chair. She had been blindfolded when she was brought into the room so he would'nt know the way out. When the blindfold and gag was taken off she started to rant angrily.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" She screamed.  
  
Mike smiled easily, his flawless face at ease.  
  
"Another assignment." He replied. "You'll be staying here for a while till our boss decides to kill you. Hope you enjoy your stay." Laughing a bit, he patted her arm and suddenly stopped with a frown.  
  
"You had a chance to report us, how come you didn't?"  
  
Sakura felt her rage boiling over. "I SHOULD'VE! I WAS AN IDIOT THATS WHAT!" She yelled across the room. Giving her a rather bored look, Mike left the room. Sakura heard the locks being put in place and she went limp with sadness.  
  
She was alone. In a room which was stark white with only one light.  
  
"Get me out of here please..." Sakura said out in a whimper... tears started to fall as fear settled in and anger dissolved.  
  
'Someone help me!'  
  
  
  
Syaoran...  
  
Syaoran nearly strangeled the policeman.  
  
"You mean to tell me that TORY KINOMOTO has my SAKURA locked up somewhere and who-knows if she's dead or not and she's MISSING?!"  
  
His words were garbled and messed up from his rage and worry.  
  
"We caught the suspect but he obviously has other people working for him..."  
  
"Oh hell!" Syaoran replied, eyes flashing. "What did this suspect say?!"  
  
"He says he didn't do it but he won't tell who..."  
  
Syaoran kicked the wall nearest to him and created a dent. 'I failed! I was suppose to keep her safe and she's gone! Stupid me!' Angry with himself he turned his anger onto the poor policeman.  
  
"What evidence do you have?" He growled. The man produced papers of negotation and problems between the Nadeshiko and Li company... and a slashed magazine... and some past evidence of his violent anger.  
  
"Actually." Syaoran said, pushing aside the police. "I'm going to talk to this Tory Kinomoto myself."  
  
At the Jail Cell...  
  
Everything was going wrong. He had called Yukito but Yukito was helpless. He said he could do nothing, his mother had locked up the bank nice and tight.   
  
'She's a goner...' He thought with a pained heart. 'I can't believe it's going to end this way...'  
  
The tall woman who looked like Nadeshiko came in. "Tory Kinomoto. A guest by the name of Syaoran Li is here to see you."  
  
Tory didn't know what to say so he followed her out, in chains.  
  
The handsome amber eyed man sat on the other side of the glass window. Tory looked at the boy and felt like punching him. Wasn't he the person who made Sakura cry? Well, he knew he could'nt because the glass was bullet proof so he sat down instead. When they had their privacy Tory started the conversation.  
  
"What do you want?" Tory asked with a sneer.  
  
Syaoran looked up at Tory hostilily. "Tell me why you are doing this to Sakura."  
  
"Me?" Tory snorted. "Why would you want to know? You made her cry, why care now?"  
  
Syaoran knew he was getting nowhere so he tried another approach. "So you are admitting you kidnapped or killed her? Everything you say is recorded here." Tory froze then. "Why you little bast--."  
  
"Easy now big fella." Syaoran said in a monotone curt voice. "Just answer my question." Tory glared at him. 'How could Sakura have been in this mans arms?' SYaoran thought darkly, remebering that night at the hospital.   
  
Syaoran wasn't suprised.  
  
"I didn't do it." Tory asnwered, his voice strained.  
  
"You are in denial aren't you?" Syaoran said with a smirk. Then his smirk melted into a angry frown as he leaned forward, anger radiating from him.  
  
"Where.Is.She?" Syaoran saisd slowly, deliberating each word out loud.  
  
"I didn't do it... I don't know." Tory said, meeting Syaoran's gaze squarely. Then he looked away. He whispered so quietly, that Syaoran might've not heard it...  
  
"But Pearl might."  
  
Later...  
  
A tall brown haired man strode down to Sakura's office and opened it with an extra key Sakura kept at home. Frowning slightly he searched through the papers and came to one that struck his interest.  
  
FILE No. 1245  
  
DATE: 7/9/03  
  
Case....  
  
Syaoran looked down the paper and did find is suspicious... He remebered suddenly the time when Sakura was first attacked and how Pearl Kinomoto had been there... Then he remebered seeing her at the hospital...   
  
'Is she linked to this? Is Tory Kinomoto really innocent?'  
  
With Poor poor Sakura...  
  
A little brunette girl laughed out loud. Her green eyes twinkling as a familiar strong able body picked her up and swung her around.  
  
"More Oniichan!" She cried out when she was put down onto the ground.  
  
"No squirt... I'm tired." The figure behind her said.  
  
"Onegggaiiii-!" The girl cried out with puppy eyes.  
  
"You little monster..." Said that tired voice.  
  
The little girl whirled around, her emerald eyes smiling...  
  
She came face to face with her true older brother...  
  
"Tory come get me if you can!"   
  
Tory rolled his brown eyes and raked a hand through his raven black hair. "Not again..." He sighed.  
  
Sakura laughed and suddenly tripped. "Ow!" The girl cried and was startled to find herself far from home... 'Oniichan didn't follow me...' Sakura thought with fright.  
  
"Sakura..." A familiar voice said purringly. She looked up and saw a familiar woman with blue eyes and white blonde hair looking down at her, except she was much younger.  
  
"You saw too much." The woman said, her voice hardening. "How dare you run out of the house!" The woman said, rage building. She grabbed Sakura by the collar and proceeded to drag her...  
  
She suddenly remebered.  
  
The attic.  
  
"NOOO!" Little Sakura screamed, struggling. "Not the attic! Please I didnd't do anything wrong this time! I jsut want daddy back!"  
  
"Well little brat." The woman said, bringing Sakura up towards her face.  
  
"Your father is dead."  
  
Sakura's face paled as she suddenly became limp... Tears started to flow down her face...  
  
"DADDY!" Sakura screamed, her eyes shot open and she was startled by the bright light. Squinting through her tears she saw Mike standing before her, his eyes... worried? She wasn't sure.  
  
"Hey... you ok?"  
  
Was that concern?  
  
"Other then I had another flashback... I'm ok..." Sakura said shakily. However, the vivid dream kept the sadness in her heart. Tears continued to flow.  
  
Mike didn't want to see the beautiful Sakura cry.  
  
"Shh..." Mike hugged her, suprising and angering Sakura.  
  
"Let go!" She shrieked.  
  
Mike looked dissapointed, but drew back. Sakura galred at him.  
  
"Who brought me here?' She asked flatly.  
  
He ignored her question.  
  
"You must be hungry. I brought you breakfast." He opened a small box and the aroma of hamburger and fries made Sakura's mouth water.   
  
"How am I suppose to eat with my hands tied?!" Sakura demanded, hoping secretly he would untie her so she could get away.  
  
"I'll feed you." He replied with a malicious grin. Sakura face faulted.   
  
Oh, I thought maybe you wanted to read something... So I brought some books and todays news paper. I'll untie your hands later. Don't get your hopes us." He smiled at her grimly. "You can't get out." He untied her hands. He started to walk out and stopped.  
  
"By the way... Happy Birthday Sakura."   
  
Then he left.  
  
Sakura stared. She had forgotten it was her Birthday... Novemeber 1st. How...? She shook her head. She knew that her birthday may not be real, it was given to her, the day she was sent to the orphanage was set as her birthdate. Something caught her eye.  
  
"TORY KINOMOTO OF NADESHIKO COMPANY CONDEMED FOR KIDNAPPING OF SAKURA LI"  
  
Then everything made sense.  
  
Tory Kinomoto was her real brother... Which meant... Pearl Kinomoto was her mother? But it could'nt have been Tory... She knew he would'nt do anything to hurt her... How? Her instincts... The brown eyes... the black hair.  
  
"Oniichan..."   
  
But she still didn't know who was behind it. Not yet. But... her brother...   
  
'Tory...'  
  
The past hurt.  
  
With Pearl...  
  
It was time. She smiled. She would finally convict Tory by killing Sakura tonight. Then she would have the gang testify against Tory and everything would be fine. Both of Nadeshiko's children. Gone. Smiling radiantly she heard the door bell ring.  
  
"Coming!" She sang as she glided to the doorway...  
  
Her icy blue eyes met the firey brown eyes of a very angry man.  
  
To be continued...  
  
Preview:  
  
"I am Sakura's real brother." Tory finally admitted to Syaoran. Syaoran's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Real brother?" He stuttered.  
  
"Yes. Sakura is really Sakura Kinomoto. This is my case. It's final." Tory looked away... Syaoran was suprised to see that tears were coming from the older mans eyes.  
  
"Pearl... you know she's the one who has Sakura." Syaoran nodded slowly. It was starting to make sense in a way.  
  
"Save Sakura while you have the time." Tory begged. "Pearl is a cunning woman. She tricked everyone except for you and me. Please..."  
  
Syaoran felt his blood run cold.  
  
"Tell me what she did to you... what can she do?"  
  
"She killed my father adn got away with it... She tried to kill Sakura... I guess it didn't work. Sakura saw everything... and..." Syaoran had enough. "I'm going to get her." Syaoran said. He slipped on his black trenchcoat and briskly walked out and was stopped by a voice.  
  
"Li. Good luck."  
  
Syaoran nodded. He saw Pearl entering a building not far from Sakura's company. He had a vauge suspicion about that building.  
  
'Let's hope I am right.' He thought to himself grimly as he made his way towards building.  
  
A/N: It's short, But sorry! ^^; Here's preview for my other stories you might want to read! =) Remeber to R and R~!  
  
"Mercy for the Damned"  
  
Category: CCS  
  
-Sakura is an angel brought to the filthy muck called earth to saved the damned. She meets with the leader of the fallen angel who tries to kill her with every chance he gets. But she wiggles her way into his heart, but must complete her duty. She was brought to earth to help those in need. Disguised as a poor girl, she goes to heal everyones broken heart and wounds... But will Sakura be able to heal the strange gaping wound within the fallen angels heart? Will she die, broken and bleeding, to save the damned angel of sin that she loved? S and S.   
  
"The Winding Path"  
  
Category: Tamora Pierce, "The Circle Opens"  
  
- Trouble brews in Winding Circle. Pirates with a strange new magic comes to destroy the mages sanctuary and school. The strange magic comes from a strange source, only the four, Briar, Sandry, Tris, and Daja can do anything about it. But will they be too weak to fight off this evil? Even the teachers are confounded. Niko meets an old friend and angry sparks fly... Kent and Glaki witnesses true death and the dark part of magic as the four fight against the unknown danger to protect their home.  
  
Coupling: T/B or T/K, S/P.   
  
Please feel free to read those, and remeber to review for this story and other stories too! Thank you my loyal readers! =) 


	14. Piecing it Together

Title: This is Not Enough  
  
Ch. Title: Piecing it together  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
A/N: It's a bit of a very fast update, I have to be going to Tae Kwon Do now, hope you enjoy this chapter! =D You can see it's clearly drawing to an end, but I'll make it worth your while! Sorry for any spelling errors! I didn't use da grammar check program thing... Bear with me! Remeber to R and R! Thanks for your WONDERFUL reviews!  
  
DISCLAIMER~ I DON'T OWN CCS!!  
  
"Piecing it Together"  
  
"Yes?" the beautiful blonde haired woman asked, fearing the angry rage in Pearls eyes.  
  
"Do you have anything to do with Sakura's dissappearance?"  
  
"N-no!" Pearl stuttered, unnerved by the peircing amber glare . Amber eyes surveyed her. "Isn't it a bit strange that Sakura was attacked for the first time and you somehow appeared?" Pearl took in a shuddering breathe and decided not to fall to peices yet. Her blue eyes blazing she looked up. "There is nothing strange about me being there." She replied. Syaoran growled a bit as he removed a file from his coat. "This contract you signed with Sakura. Isn't it true that you don't own a company? What is this "Iris Company" that you signed your name under? Sakura has been a bit careless, she should've researched more about other companies before agreeing to something."  
  
Pearl felt her heart thud uncontrollably and a shiver of fear ran down her spine, but her pride and desire to over come this task got her.   
  
"What are you implying Mr..."  
  
"Li." He said softly. He detected her slight paling of her skin.  
  
"Mr. Li." She finished. Syaoran was very suspicious of her. Something was not right, and he smelled a rat. There was an uncomfortable silence and a sharp ringing of the phone broke the tension.  
  
"Excuse me Mr. Li." Pearl said with fake brusquness. "I think I must answer my phone. You may take your leave! I am expecting an... er... important call today." She pushed him out her front door and slammed it shut.  
  
Her heart was thudding uncontrollably in her ribs. Was this how it felt to have your deepest darkest secrets dug out? No. She would'nt let this nosey Li dig it out. She had other plans. She picked up the phone after a few more rings.  
  
"Hello? Kinomoto residence." She said briskly.  
  
"This is Mike." Came a soft voice on the other side. Her fingers convulsed and clenched the phone in her hands.   
  
"You have her?" She whispered, walking furthur into the building.  
  
"I have her locked up nice and tight. Come quickly." The line was cut off and Pearl fell against the wall. Hard and cold evil intent filled her eyes.  
  
'This will have to be buried... more safely this time.'  
  
With Sakura...  
  
Sakura wanted to cry. She barely touched her foor and her face was thin and wane from her grief. Staring at the news paper she wanted to scream. Yell. Anything to relieve this tension! Maybe that was the feeling sparked between both her and him when they have met. But the real mystery on how she got to be in the predicament she was still lay unsolved.  
  
Pearl kept coming to mind. What did she have to do with anything in her pass? Was Pearl her true mother? Did Pearl ditch her at the orphanage or was there some strange dark reason to it? The toil of bearing such a burden was evident on her face. Her eyes glimmered with sadness and all her joyful energy departed. 'Please... Someone, come get me...'  
  
Tomoyo...  
  
Tomoyo was in a hurry. She cursed at the slow drivers and made it to the police station, looking infuriated.  
  
"WHERE IS SAKURA!" She yelled angrily. Her grief was momentairaly forgotten. The policemen looked at each other. "We don't know for sure ma'm." The replied.  
  
Tomoyo got a finger and brought it up to the mans face. "You better find my friend quickly with NO mistakes. Or I'll..." She was lost for words. What COULD she do? "Or I'll file a complaint." Tomoyo felt so helpless. Her plum purple eyes glittered with sadness. "Who is it?" She asked, voice deadly.  
  
"We think it's Tory Kinomoto."  
  
Tomoyo remebered him from the fashion show. It sounded reasonable but something was not right. She was going to talk to this... Tory Kinomoto. She wasn't going to lose Sakura. Eriol was gone, maybe for good, but Sakura. She was a friend Tomoyo would never give up.  
  
Syaoran...  
  
Suspicion made Syaoran look more handsomer. He knew soemthing was wrong. He headed back towards the police station, and found a hysterical purple haired woman there already.  
  
'Sakura's friend.' He thought with a slight grin. He missed Sakura already. Her bright smile, her green eyes... Everything. He would'nt lose her. She was the only family he had... She was... important to him.  
  
"PLEASE let me talk to him!" The girl begged. The policemen looked troubled. "You need to schedule this. We can't just do this on a whim."  
  
"Excuse me." Syaoran said, his deep husky voice drawing everyones attention. "This lady wants to see Kinomoto. I'll take her with me."  
  
Later w/ Tory...  
  
Tomoyo didn't know what to say, she could only stare at Sakura's so called kidnapper. Tory looked uncomfortable at her glazed gaze.  
  
"There is something going on." Syaoran said softly. "And it has to do with you, Pearl, and Sakura." Syaoran's dark brown gaze held Tory's dark ones. "What is it?" Tory looked away, his eyes tired. "I'm tired of this..." Tory said his voice dangerously low. Tomoyo suddenly spoke. "Please! If you are not guilty why won't you tell us! This might mean Sakura's life!" The convict finally looked up, his eyes looked haunted, almot empty.  
  
"For years and years I have searched for her. She was my little angel. I promised my mother to protect her after she died. It seems as if I can't. I am failing." Tory dropped like a withering flower.   
  
"Who are you talking about?" Both Syaoran and Tomoyo asked. Syaoran had a little idea about what might be going on.  
  
"I searched for her after her dissappearance. Hoping to find her. Only finding imposters who had her eyes, or her hair, sometimes both. But no, she wasn't there, she was right inf ront of my eyes."  
  
There was a long pause as Tory's gaze seemed distant.  
  
"I found her, and almost told her the truth. Then, I saw how happy she could be. What I knew and what she forgot could ruin her. Her past was nothign more then pain and the agony of being repressed. But now I see, I should've told her. She might die not knowing who I am... Because of her."  
  
"Who are you then?" Syaoran demanded.  
  
"I am Sakura's real brother." Tory finally admitted to Syaoran. Syaoran's eyes widened in shock.  
  
"Real brother?" He stuttered.  
  
"Yes. Sakura is really Sakura Kinomoto. This is my case. It's final." Tory looked away... Syaoran was suprised to see that tears were coming from the older mans eyes.  
  
"Pearl... you know she's the one who has Sakura." Syaoran nodded slowly. It was starting to make sense in a way.  
  
"Save Sakura while you have the time." Tory begged. "Pearl is a cunning woman. She tricked everyone except for you and me. Please..."  
  
Syaoran felt his blood run cold.  
  
"Tell me what she did to you... what can she do?"  
  
"She killed my father adn got away with it... She tried to kill Sakura... I guess it didn't work. Sakura saw everything... and..." Syaoran had enough. "I'm going to get her." Syaoran said. He slipped on his black trenchcoat and briskly walked out and was stopped by a voice.  
  
"Li. Good luck."  
  
Syaoran nodded. He saw Pearl entering a building not far from Sakura's company. He had a vauge suspicion about that building.  
  
'Let's hope I am right.' He thought to himself grimly as he made his way towards building.   
  
Tomoyo...  
  
She could'nt believe her ears. The broken convict was... Sakura's brother? Her mind was whirling with unanswered questions. "Wait. What's going on? Tell me everything!" Tomoyo begged. "Who exactly is "Pearl"?"   
  
"The blonnde haired murderess from hell." He spat.  
  
Tomoyo froze, she remebered the warning she had thought was only childsplay on the bulletin.  
  
'Avoid dark streets... and a blonde womans...'  
  
Shock consumed her wholey. "Tell me what happened! Tell me!" Tomoyo demanded. The dark haired man started to weep. "If you hold onto this memory and don't tell others, it will destroy you." Tomoyo said softly, her eyes distant as she sat in the room... with Sakura's brother.  
  
Pearl...  
  
Eantering the building, she was isntantly surrounded by thugs and bodyguards she had paid to kill whoever entered other then her.  
  
"The girl is mine." She told them, disgusted at how some looked at her body. "Anyone else who comes in here dies. When the minute clock passes 6, then I shall kill her, first... I will have the pleasure of making her memories quite pleasent."  
  
Syaoran got to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. There had to be another way in. Looking around he found that the bricks to this apartment stuck out and he could scale it easily to that window and just break in. Gritting his teeth, he fumed angrily at that overly beautiful and cunning blonde. She was going to pay dearly for hurting Sakura. He managed to find a footing and started to climb up. Mortar crumbled under his ahnds and a loose brick fell from under his feet. Cursing her grabbed the window ledge and pulled himself up, sweating with the effort. He looked in the window. Nobody was there.  
  
'Good.' He thought as he brought his foot up and crashed through the window.  
  
He heard a faint voice from downstairs... there was a scream. It was Sakura.  
  
'No they won't hurt her!' He thought as he started running towards the sound.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" A thick beefy man stood before him. He was taller and wider then Syaoran. He cracked his beefy neck.   
  
"To my sister." He said coolly. The thug grinned, showing his broken teeth.   
  
"Somehow... I don't think so."  
  
Sakura...  
  
"Daughter don't cry..."  
  
There was a faint hacking. The voice... It was so gentle. Tears formed in her green eyes as she tried to see behind the curtains of the death bed.  
  
"Don't come close!" Said a weak voice. The voice was so gentle and beautiful... and weak.  
  
"Mom... I want to see you!" The little girl with light brown hair cried out. "No." Said that voice. It was full of sadness. There was the sound of labored breathing.  
  
'Why can't I see you?!" Sakura demanded, stamping her tiny feet. There was a pause and a very soft reply.  
  
"I want you to remeber me as I was. Not what I am now."  
  
Sakura heard her mothers voice crack.  
  
"Mama? Are you crying? Ma--."  
  
"What are you doing here?! Your mother is sick!" A bellow of a voice demanded. Sakura turned to see her father. A tall broad shouldered man with brown eyes and glasses. His eyes were angry... but in a sad way.  
  
"I wanted to see her!" Sakura demanded. "Is mom getting better?" she asked, hopefully.  
  
Grief was in her fathers gentle brown eyes. "She's getting better." He answered. His voice tense. "Get out. She still needs rest." There was a choked gasp from behind the curtains. The machines faint beeping turned into a low constant sound.  
  
Sakura's father looked frantic.  
  
"Get the doctor! Sakura! Go!" He shooed her out, his hands shaking as he heard the struglging watery gasps on the other side.  
  
"But mommy-- She--."  
  
Tory bursted in, his young face full of horror and frantic hoplessness.   
  
"Dad! The doc's coming!" There was a hustling sound and people dressed in white came in. They smelled like the hospital that Sakura had visited when her mother had collapsed. She didn't like it. She started to cry.  
  
"Get her OUT for goodness sakes!" The father bellowed. Tory grabbed his little crying sister and went out of the room.  
  
Then she woke up. Tears sliding down her face. Then what had become of her mother?  
  
Light flooded the room and Sakura blinked. There was Pearl in front of her, a glint in her eye. Was Pearl her mother?  
  
"P-p-pearl? What are you doing here?"  
  
"Taking care of buisness." Pearl smiled a teethy white smile.   
  
Syaoran...  
  
Syaoran dodged another attack, he expertly flipped backwards before those beefy fists could land on him. He was glad he took combat training. He dodged the blows and blocked them. He grabbed the beefy thugs arm and twisted it around quickly. The man screamed in horror as he was suddenly flipped into the air... and he landed flat on his back. Syaoran had no time for these games. Getting two fingers, he grabbed the man's throat, and twisted it. There was a strange tearing noise as the throat ripped open. The thug went slack.   
  
"I have no time for this!" Syaoran hissed, getting up. He wasn't that hard but he was a total waste of time. Then he heard thundering footsteps. Somebody must've sounded the alarm.  
  
Tory and Tomoyo...  
  
"After our mother died, Pearl came into our lives." Tory started, daring to believe that Tomoyo, might not look at him with pity, but with understanding.  
  
"Our mother died from cancer. Her lungs of course. Afterwards, Pearl came in and everything changed. My sister, Sakura, was used to a loving smiling mother. Pearl hated us, mostly Sakura. In front of our father, she was sweet and kind to us, but once our father turned the other way she would beat Sakura, break her lovely things... and... degrade her or lock her up in the attic."  
  
"Sakura was deathly afraid of ghosts when she was young, and Pearl told her nasty stories of how ghost haunted the attic and locked her in there for hours. After that, beauitful happy Sakura became more and more withdrawn. My father was making a will, and Pearl somehow got her hands on it. Pearl read it and was enraged that nothing was left for her or her Son, whom she had before hand. Sakura never told father about anything. Then it happened, my father was killed with poison. Sakura saw everything and ran away. She was eventually caught by Pearl, but Pearl was deathly afraid of what Sakura might be able to do. She locked me up in the basement and Sakura in the attic. I didn't get to see the rest, but when Yukito, my step-brother, got me out, he told me Sakura was dead."  
  
Tomoyo could'nt believe it.   
  
"Pearl? So... do you think Pearl has her now?"  
  
Tory shrugged. "Most likely, or Sakura's already dead."  
  
Tomoyo's breathing hitched in anger.   
  
"Don't worry Tory." Tomoyo said, deadly fire in her eyes. "I'll bail you out."  
  
With Sakura...  
  
"Hello Sakura." Pearl whispered, her eyes glinting with malice. "Remember anything yet?" Sakura blinked. "Are you... my mother?" Sakura asked softly.  
  
'But she as so mean... in my dream... I thought my mom would be nice and Pearl looks nothing like me...'  
  
"Your MOTHER?" Pearl said mockingly. "Girl, I'm far from it! Your step-mom, but not your mother! I'd rather burn in hell then spawn such a bitch like you!"  
  
Sakura flinched. "W-who are you then?" Sakura asked fearfully.  
  
Pear smiled. "I'll make this long and painful. For everything you had done to me, for everything your MOTHER has done to me!" Sakura's eyes widened as Pearl closed in, like a vulture to its prey.  
  
"First... let me give you a little history lesson..."  
  
To be continued...  
  
Special Thanks:  
  
-MagicKnightNancy =)  
  
-pochoco   
  
-yingfacherryblossom (You'll see what happens between Meiling, Syaoran, and Sakura later...)  
  
-Joanne (Thank you!)  
  
-Angel Fairy Sakura (S and S moments will be in the nxt chapter... a lot of it. ^_^)  
  
-cherrixwolf   
  
-kawaiitenshisakura  
  
-Athar-Luna (The ch. title was inspired from you... lol.)  
  
-Shima and Tempis (Pearl will get her ass whuppin later. lol)  
  
-SaKuRa LuVa ( ^_^ I lyke ur fanfics btw, i'll review later!)  
  
-Crystal_jade2   
  
-AnimeObsessionFantasy   
  
-Mini Sweety (This ch. should REALLY make u happy!)  
  
THANKS! =D   
  
PREVIEW:  
  
Sakura gasped in pain as Pearl struck her face. "Look what your mom did to me!" Pearl said fumingly. Sakura coughed, her head hurt. She remebered everything now. She wanted to die.   
  
"What about what you did to my father...?" Sakura asked through swollen lips. Pearl leered at her. "Listen pretty." Pearl spat, "You weren't suppose to see that! Furthurmore! You're suppose to be DEAD!" Pearls pretty face was contorted by anger, bitter hatred, and something else.  
  
"But I'm not dead." Sakura whispered. "Justice will be served." Pearl smiled. "Not if I can help it."  
  
Syaoran...  
  
'I hope I make it in time...' Blood ran down the injury on his arm and he gasped in pain as someone grabbed his arm.  
  
He met the peircing blue eyes of another thug named Mike.  
  
  
  
~REMEMBER TO REVIEW!~ 


	15. Nearing the End

Title: "This is Not Enough"  
  
Ch. Title: Nearing the End  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
A/N: Sorry for the very late update. I had many things to do and had home games to attend to. I have color guard; do you know what that is? :D It¡¯s flags and pom¡¯s combined. Well that takes up a lot of my time, and so does my studies. I am taking Art 2 GT, Chemistry GT, US History AP, and AP English... so I am having a pretty packed schedule, and I am also on my next to last yr is high school and need to make it good. Sorry- ^^; I'll try to update a few times a month, once or twice in every one of my stories. =) Thanks for your support and patience and I love your reviews... After this story are about two chapters. The Next chapter will be the trial and some other business... and the epilogue... Read to find out. =] Everything will be sorted out then. ^_^ So keep reading and smiling!  
  
"Nearing the End"  
  
The tall brown haired man looked around quickly. Was there any way to avoid them or knock them all out quickly? He had to think fast, Sakura's life was at hand.   
  
'Why am I protecting her?' He thought with amazement, 'I was never like this before... never...' Then a thought rose up in his head. 'Can it be that I LIKE Sakura?' He quickly shook his head. It had to be something else. How could he be so foolish? The Li-clan would never approve. He was just doing his job, like his elder told to him to do. Protect her. The keeper of secrets. Then he spotted a fire hose in a glass case nearest to him, and a small grin grew on his face. He had an idea.  
  
With Yukito...  
  
A gag muffled a silver haired man¡¯s please for help. Pearl had him tied to a chair, so he wouldn¡¯t get in the way. He didn't want this to happen. It COULDN'T happen! Straining his hands to try to somehow untie or break the knot. It was useless. His hands were covered with sweat and blood. The knots dug into his skin and his hands hurt from the lack of circulation.  
  
'I need to get out!'  
  
He struggled and his chair fell over onto the side. Yukito groaned as his head hit the hard floor. His glasses skidded across the floor and broke in half. Yukito looked around groggily. 'This can't be happening. It's a nightmare!'  
  
Tomoyo...  
  
Tomoyo got into her bank account and took out a large sum of money. It was funny how the government¡¯s heads could be turned with some cash. Tory was set free. Tomoyo had bailed him. Tory looked gratefully at his purple haired saviors. "Thanks..." Tory whispered. Tomoyo smiled. "It's all good. Now, we have to find Sakura." Tory nodded. He was so surprised. In all his years, no one was this kind to him. Only his father, Sakura, his mother, and Yukito. But no one had cared for him like this at all.  
  
'No wonder Sakura's friends with her.' Tory though as he brought himself to a jog as he used Tomoyo's cell phone to call Yukito.  
  
The phone rang for a long time, and Tory started to uncomfortable. What could possibly be wrong? But a strange chill ran down his spine as he heard the answering machine.  
  
With Sakura...  
  
"Your mom ruined my life." The blonde woman hissed, her blue eyes piercing the younger girl thoroughly. "There is no way to assuage my pains... She was a horrible terrible woman."   
  
"You are a liar!" Sakura cried out loud. "I bet you were jealous... My mom... She must've had something you didn't!"  
  
"Your mom thought it was HER prerogative to barge into other peoples things. She is a nosey human, and I'm glad she died from lung cancer!"  
  
Sakura was quiet; her eyes were distant and jaded as she remembered something, which had been hidden away from her for such a long time.  
  
She saw a beautiful black haired woman in a coffin, her curly ebony hair forming a soft bed around the dead woman. Her green eyes were closed forever to this world. In her hands were roses... and her face was unreal, too beautiful. Marks of toil and hardship did etch a tale of misery on her forehead. Sakura was momentarily little again. Tears were running down her eyes as she cried next to the coffin.  
  
"She can't be dead!" the younger Sakura cried. She tried to simulate some life into her mother but nothing happened. They closed the coffin and took her away, screaming for her mother.  
  
"MOTHER!"  
  
The coffin was lowered into a dark hole of eternity.  
  
"MOTHER!"  
  
People were tossing dirt onto the coffin.  
  
Tears streamed down the young girls face as she was carried off, her hand stretched out to her long gone mother in a gesture of desperation... and longing.  
  
Pearl was startled to see Sakura's eyes grow dim and tears flowing down her cheeks. The girl suddenly came back into reality, her eyes hardening.  
  
"My mom had everything to give, but never asked anything for herself." Sakura said harshly. Pearl stared at her hands.  
  
"That's the impression you want. But she did take someone from me. She took away my lover who became your father."  
  
  
  
Syaoran...  
  
A tall gaunt man with coarse brown hair and sharp black eyes surveyed the area. No one was there. His companions searched the room and found nothing.  
  
"He's not here boss."  
  
"The security camera has to be right--."  
  
The man with brown hair gasped as a noose went about his neck and snapped it as it was quickly snapped to the side. The whole group turned around in surprise as they realized something. Someone was above them.  
  
Syaoran had the upper hand. Surprise. He smiled as he brought back the hose he used to kill the leader with. He leapt down quickly and turned on the hose, spraying the minions with a strong gush of ice cold water. He quickly turned it off after a few seconds and managed to go past the surprised and wet group... towards the place he heard the scream. He looked around. Where would Sakura be? He grimaced as he heard a gun go off and he ducked... but the bullet gashed his arm. He gasped in pain. 'I have to find her now... before anything else happens!'  
  
Sakura..  
  
"Your father was the most wanted bachelor in all of Tokyo. He was rich, handsome, and very intelligent and charming. He was in love with me, until your mother came along and ruined everything! So I waited in the dark, knowing Nadeshiko's secret. She told me long time ago... Before we hated each other..."  
  
Her eyes looked very distant, and suddenly became cold.  
  
"She never told your father her little secret and got married and had you and that stupid bastard son!" Pearl slammed the table near her, causing Sakura to jump. "Then she died. I crept to your father while he was weak with anguish and sadness... and he replaced your mother with me! But it didn't end there... He still loved Nadeshiko!" Pearl suddenly looked mad as she stared at a frightened Sakura with a crazed look. "I loved him and he wouldn¡¯t love me! Every man in my life managed to hurt me... and he hurt me the most! You know why? Because I loved him!" Pearls voice broke and a tear ran down her cheek as she paused, as if lost in the memory. Sakura felt a pang of pity, which died away when Pearls lip drew into a snarl.  
  
"He made me angry after I read his will. Of course I hated both you and your brother! Tch- useless children! You were a stupid child.. Scared of ghosts and crying for your mother! Your brother was a bastard who defied me every minute of his miserable life! But then, one day I was sleeping in the bedroom, with your father... and I suddenly came up with a brilliant idea! If your father loved Nadeshiko so much... why didn't he JOIN her?" Pearls smirk was almost not human. "So... I decided to kill him. I brought the most expensive tasteless poison I could find and sweetly offered him some tea. Tired as he was, he said yes. It was almost too easy. A teaspoon of this poison could kill any man." Pearl looked strangely far away, Sakura felt herself sweating... and dreading the outcome.  
  
"So I poured it into his tea, making sure the tea was nice and sweet... and put it on a tray. Then I saw you, by the window with your wicked bewitching green eyes! You were staring at me." Pearls smile turned into a frown. "I locked you in the bathroom and gave your father the tea... It was wonderful! All the pain he has caused me were inflicted back to him! I saw his eyes... those cursed brown eyes staring at me in shock! Then he starting foaming blood and fell to the floor... and somehow you got out of the bathroom and saw your father--."  
  
"STOP!" Sakura screamed as tear flowed hotly down her cheeks. "Don't go on! I don't want to hear any more!"  
  
"But you MUST!" Pearl said loudly, smiling like a Cheshire cat. Sakura noticed how pointy her teeth were. "I only told half the story!" Sakura shook her head. "NO! You're a monster! You killed my parents and¡¦ and... "  
  
Sakura gasped in pain as Pearl struck her face. "Look what your mom did to me!" Pearl said fumingly. Sakura coughed, her head hurt. She remembered everything now. She wanted to die.   
  
"What about what you did to my father...?" Sakura asked through swollen lips. Pearl leered at her. "Listen pretty." Pearl spat, "You weren't suppose to see that! Furthermore! You're supposed to be DEAD!" Pearls pretty face was contorted by anger, bitter hatred, and something else.  
  
"But I'm not dead." Sakura whispered. "Justice will be served." Pearl smiled. "Not if I can help it."  
  
Syaoran...  
  
'I hope I make it in time...' Blood ran down the injury on his arm and he gasped in pain as someone grabbed his arm.  
  
He met the piercing blue eyes of another thug named Mike.  
  
Syaoran was quick to react. His amber eyes cold and flinty, he stamped down his pain and twisted around and had it so that Mike was the one who was in danger.  
  
"WHERE IS SHE?!" Syaoran snarled. Mike looked at Syaoran with interested blue eyes.  
  
"You're hurt, you can't hurt me." Mike replied coolly.  
  
"I've learned 116 different ways to kill people, and 8 of them had to do with a broken neck..." Mike's eyes grew wide as he felt Syaoran's good hand grip his neck powerfully. "WAIT!" Mike said quickly. "I know where Sakura is." Syaoran snarled in his ear. "Then tell me quick!" Mikes eyes narrowed. "Only if you keep away from my Sakura." Syaoran saw red as he threw Mike back, forgetting his injured arm.  
  
"YOUR Sakura?!" He snarled angrily.  
  
"Do you want to save her or not?" Mike asked impatiently.  
  
"Listen blue eyes!" Syaoran said through a haze of anger. "Sakura is MINE! Don't go near her unless you want to die!" Mike groaned as he got up and stared at Syaoran, trying to calculate how hard he was going to be.  
  
"I'll show you." Mike said quietly. 'I don't want Sakura to die in that mad woman¡¯s hands...'  
  
--------------Sakura...  
  
Pearl smiled in an insane way as she withdrew a knife from her hand.  
  
"You see this?" Pearl asked, her teeth white and toothy. "I dabbed a bit of lovely poison at the edge... so I'll just have to slice a bit of your lovely skin... and... Then you're dead within 30 minutes. Take or add on a few." Sakura's eyes widened as the woman drew closer.  
  
"Now... where shall I stab you?" Pearl smiled. "How about... I just cut your throat open?" An insane gleam lit Pearls eyes as she drew her knife upwards. Sakura's green eyes were hypnotized by the glimmer of the sterling silver blade, which looked lethally sharp. The handle was encrusted with diamonds, sapphires... rubies... Sakura looked away, her eyes filled with tears. Her cursed life was over. This was it. Her head drooped forward as the knife came slashing down.  
  
Sakura waited for the pain to slash through. She was stiff and rigid as she raised her head as she heard someone else groan. Horror was written all over her face as she realized just who was the one who was stabbed.  
  
Blue eyes met green ones and held them for a long time. The beautiful flawless face of the gangster Mike stared back at her quizzically almost. Pain was written in his eyes as he smiled a bit forcefully.  
  
"I-i love you."  
  
Then he collapsed onto the ground, holding his side, which was crimson with blood. Sakura screamed.  
  
That's when Syaoran decided to come in. His snapping amber eyes dilated with shock when he saw that Pearl, who was staggering from the attack Mike had managed to defect, was recovering quickly and was stalking around Sakura, who was shaking and crying.  
  
He moved quickly across the floor, his feet silent as he grabbed the insane woman around her throat, and managed to hit a pressure point. Pearl fell unconscious on the spot, dropping the knife, which was still dripping from the gangster¡¯s blood.  
  
Syaoran didn't know what to say as he untied the ropes, which held Sakura. She looked limp and lifeless and was almost afraid she would fall once the ropes, which held her, fell away. But she staggered upwards, her eyes clouded as she made her way to Mike, who was taking heavy breathes and panting slightly.  
  
"Mike... Why?" Sakura asked brokenly. He smiled at her, his eyes clouding over. With effort he spoke his last words. "There is no why to love. When I saw you, you radiated something that made me want to protect you." His smile slackened as he fell limply to the floor. Sakura had no more tears to shed. Her eyes were hot and stinging, but she wasn't crying out loud anymore. She was crying within. Wiping her tears with a trembling hand, she cradled Mike¡¯s head as she heard the sirens in the distant. It was a while before Syaoran broke the uncomfortable silence and Sakura's silent weeping by pulling Sakura up, and enveloping her in a secure embrace.  
  
---Few Days Later---  
  
Sakura managed a small smile as Mike was put away to his eternal resting spot. She had picked the spot and put him near a beautiful Sakura blossom where he could admire its beauty even after death. She regretted yelling at him. It took a while to get over everything she had relearned. Her past. It was painful and still ached heavily in her heart. She didn't tell anyone about what she saw and felt, and she felt as if something was killing her within. Placing a rose on Mikes grave and imagining the poor souls beautiful angel tic face, she turned around and walked towards Syaoran. There were still things to figure out. Time was harsh in when it revealed the truths, but Sakura was ready... But if she lost one more thing in her life, Sakura felt as if she would collapse. Things confused her as she held tightly onto Syaorans warm hands. What was to become of her? What about her only remaining family member? What was she to do? Confused, she got into the car and stared out the window. Raindrops started to patter onto the car as they drove silently out. Intricate water patterns decorated the window as Sakura looked at the world in a distorted point of view from within the car.   
  
'I never knew that the world I had once adored and loved living in would end up like this. When I was young, I wished for life... Now, I don't know what to wish anymore.' Sakura looked away from the water droplets and looked at her no longer stepbrother with her large green eyes. 'But I know one thing. People change, for the good or the bad. But I am glad I know at least one person I can rely on. I hope he never leaves my life forever.' The car stopped at a red traffic light, and brown met green. Syaoran smiled, his eyes softening a bit as he took his hand away from the steering wheel to squeeze her hand gently, comforting her in a way that was not possible to others. Sakura smiled back, and felt tears glistening in the back of her eyes.  
  
'Thank you Syaoran... For being there for me.'  
  
Silently she thanked him as they drove down the rainy street...  
  
To be continued...  
  
A/N:There is one final chapter left after this... then the epilogue. Hope you enjoyed this chapter... Wow- I'm almost finished with this story. I can't believe it. I am so glad for all you readers and reviewers. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter... and once this story is finished I would like it if you would read my other S and S story. Mercy for the Damned. It's a lot more biblical but the romance is inevitable and might satisfy your taste... As always, I like to portray Syaoran as the wild and restless cruel human being who is warmed by the kinder female names Sakura. LOL. So... Thanks. Remember to review! I'm counting on you!  
  
-Peonyqt1004-  
  
Preview:  
  
Sakura looked at the tall muscular chestnut haired man, her heart beating uncontrollably and her cheeks flushing... She wanted to tell him something. She never realized it till now. Standing under the starlit night sky, Sakura saw the good soul of Syaoran... and his handsome features highlighted by the soft moonlight. She knew she would never think Syaoran as just a brother. Comforted by his presence, Sakura drew closer, her eyes half lidded as she opened her mouth to say the few words that she dreamed of saying to Syaoran in her unconcious mind. Ever since he protected and saved her life (other then Mike) Sakura saw Syaoran with a diffrent light and saw what Yelan had seen in her son. The golden light which attracted her.   
  
"S-syaoran..."  
  
Syaoran turned to her, his eyebrows quirked upwards comically as he smiled at her in a way which made her knees go weak.  
  
"I-i... I wanted to ask you if you thought me more then a sister? Do you... t-think you could like me for more then a si--."  
  
Their conversation, which had created an intense and smoldering atmosphere was broken when A tall pale girl with dark black hair and red eyes dressed in a traditional red chinese dress with a gold hem appeared.  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling yelled. Her eyes, which were already red, were red from crying, her face flushed and her eyes sad. "Where were you! The whole entire Li clan was waiting and you never appeared."  
  
Syaoran looked trapped, his brown eyes wide as he realized his secret would have to be let out soon. He could'nt breathe, he yearned for Sakura to finish her sentence and do something, but the sweet young woman stood there, frozen, her eyes lightened up with a strange curiousity.  
  
"What is it?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence while Meiling stood there trembling, her eyes staring into Syaorans brown ones.  
  
Meiling teared up, hot stinging tears of pain going down her cheeks, she ignored Sakura. Envying the way Syaoran would look at Sakura.   
  
"Is this it? What are you going to do Xiao Lang? Run from our engagement? The Li clan won't allow it."  
  
There was a dreadful silence afterwards and Syaoran slowly turned to meet Sakura's shocked face. Her face had gone pale and her breathing came in short sharp gasps. "Y-you're gettng married to M-meiling?" Sakura asked dubiously, but she sounded hurt, deeply. Syaoran didn't know what to say. "No! It's not like that--." But it was too late, the damage was done.   
  
Sakura broke and shattered within herself. Her hopes and dreams swirled away down the endless drain of self pity. Syaoran was getting married. She cried inwardly but let out a smile. She was strong, she handeled the weight of her past and Pearl was imprisoned for life. She could keep Syaoran and Meiling happy.  
  
Forcing a bright smile, Sakura spoke up, her eyes watering slightly.   
  
"I hope that both of you are happy... Syaoran is a wonderful person. He'll make a great leader." With that Sakura fled. The last thing Syaoran saw was Sakura's large glimmering green eyes. The eyes that the little wolf, also known as Xiao Ling, was in love with.  
  
r-e-v-i-e-w~! 


	16. The Parting

Title: This is Not Enough  
  
Chapter Title: A Parting  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
DISCLAIMER: Obviously I don't own CCS- ^_^;   
  
A/N: Sorry for the late update and this crappy chapter- UGH. I have no time and life- Literally. School takes up 75% of my time... Colorguard takes up about 15%... Art takes up 5% (I don't mind that one...) and TAE kwon DO takes up the other 5%- and I sleep at 12... I'm sick... It's a horrible WORLD! It sucks to be a junior! *Sighs* There is an***** Epilogue******* after this one to clsoe up this story so you guys are still waiting... and You guys won't be disappointed with me... ^^= So... On with the story and remeber to R and R- I'm not good with sappy stories so I end up making it a bit... yea... you'll see. Not mushy thou~ =_=;   
  
-peonyqt1004  
  
"A Parting"  
  
A beautiful green-eyed woman smiled at her true blood older brother. His face was haggard but he smiled tightly. They were going to court to testify against Pearl. Pearl was charged with the murder of Mike and their father. She was also charged with attempted murder and pressing false charges against Tory. Then there was another charge pressed by Yukito.  
  
Yukito had been gagged and left alone in a room for who knew how long. By the time Tory had arrived, Yukito had passed out from hunger and stress of his situation. They revived him and found evidence of a beating. Tory's face was pinched with worry, and Sakura's eyes were filled with sadness as they arrived in front of the court.  
  
"Sakura... I'm sorry." Tory said bitterly as they got out, tears filling his eyes.  
  
"Sorry about what?" Sakura asked quietly. "I'm sorry about not being able to protect you." Tory replied. "I broke my promise to mother and to you." Sakura smiled softly, her eyes glimmering. "I'm just thankful you are alright and not dead." Tory nodded. Both choked on words and were apprehensive of what was to come. They still had some strange fear that Pearl would somehow get away from this clean handed and come after them again. However, they both were relieved that the truth may come to light and that justice might be served. Sakura's grief filled eyes spotted a certain brown haired man in the distance and all sorrow fled. Her eyes brightened into a lush emerald green and looked joyful, and fled quickly as if she was trying to hide it. However, Tory Kinomoto caught that look before it had disappeared. At first, an overwhelming feeling of protectiveness nearly drowned him, but then it settled. After all, that gaki did save his sisters life. Smiling sadly, realizing how much she had grown up during their long and hard separation. Touching her arm gently he said, "Come on Sakura. Let us get this over with."  
  
The case ended successfully, Pearl looked like a madwoman, sitting at her end of the line with her eyes glaring at Sakura's green ones for the longest time. Sakura felt uncomfortable, but as she got up to say her part, she felt as if someone else was strengthening her. Syaoran, Snake, Tory, Yukito, Tomoyo, and some other people that had witnessed a few of Pearls cruel acts got up and spoke against her. Sakura cried when she heard Snake tell his heartbreaking tale about his friend, who had died in Pearls hands. Only then did Sakura realize just how many lives were taken by Pearl. She realized it was both a blessing and a curse to learn and feel the pain of evil. She could try to understand with others... but it hurt. A lot. But throughout the speech, Syaorans hand squeezed hers comfortingly. A small smile flashed across her face, mingling with her tears of sorrow. There was a dawn.  
  
-----Syaoran at home...----  
  
Syaoran smiled as he pulled the covers over Sakura. Her peaceful serenely sleeping figure made his heart flutter. It had been a while since he felt anything for anyone. He couldn¡¯t believe how far Sakura had brought him. He was once a bitter young man, now, he could feel for someone again. A film of sadness came over his brown eyes as he remembered that Sakura was leaving for Tokoyo tomorrow evening. The past days had been hectic and confusing, but he thought that he would never want to lose those days ever. He wished he had spent more quality time with Sakura. Tomorrow was his engagement with Meiling. Closing his eyes as he got into a chair, he decided not to tell Sakura anything about it.   
  
-------Next Day...-----  
  
The emerald-eyed woman was surprised with breakfast in bed.   
  
"Wow... Is this for me Syaoran?" Sakura asked, her voice becoming happy as she stared at the food in front of her.  
  
"Who else?" Syaoran asked, cherishing every expression and detail of her face. He was rewarded with a bright smile. "All by yourself?" Sakura asked with disbelief. "Yup." Syaoran answered as he watched Sakura chow down. If only every day was like this...  
  
Sakura turned bright red as she realized that Syaoran was staring at her intently. Barely able to finish her elaborate breakfast, Sakura looked up at Syaoran. "Syaoran... Thank you for everything." Syaoran looked away. "It was nothing..." Sakura looked at him with a strange gentle look on her face.  
  
"You being there for me was the best thing in the whole entire world for me."  
  
'But you're leaving me.' Syaoran wanted to snap back, but he fiddled with his sleeve instead. Syaoran peered up at her from the safety of his long bangs. He felt like a schoolboy taking a peek at a cute schoolgirl during class, he blushed a tomato red.  
  
Sakura was oblivious to all this as she stretched like a cat and got up. Syaoran got up quickly after her.  
  
"Sakura. How about we go to the gardens today?"  
  
"Gardens?" Sakura asked, her face cocked to the side as she observed him with her green eyes.  
  
Syaoran felt like a boy about to be rejected. "Y-yea..."  
  
"Sure!" Sakura exclaimed, her face turning a light shade of pink. "I would love to go the gardens with you!"  
  
-------Garden...--------  
  
The strong scent of roses, lilacs, and tulips scented the air. The heady smell of sunshine and the feel of the warm rays made Sakura absolutely giddy with happiness. Her green eyes sparkled with life as she twirled amid the cherry blossom petals dancing about in the gardens around her. Laughter sprang from her lips as she stopped to catch herself from falling over. Syaoran watched all this with a sad smile. He was not sure if he should tell her about his engagement. But were they not half sisters and brothers? But that wasn't enough. He wanted more from her then anything else in the world. He wanted her soul, her body, and her mind, and most of all... her heart. It was forbidden. Syaoran sighed as he blew his long chestnut bangs away from his deep amber eyes. Time was running out quickly. She would return to Japan to join her brother, and he would have to... to go to his engagement ceremony in a few hours. He wanted to remember this moment forever and burn it into his memory. Sakura laughing with petals dancing about her bright light brown hair.  
  
A dark haired girl with red eyes looked at the clock anxiously. Syaoran was late! Dressed in a rather becoming dark red dress, she sat there. He was exactly 2 hours late. The punctual Li was 2 hours late. Meiling closed her eyes and held in a ragged sob. He never was late. If he is coming late, then it only meant that he wouldn¡¯t come. Tears started to fall as she for up shakily as she strode out of the large ballroom where all the elders and those of the Li clan sat anxiously. Meiling knew that only one person could know where Syaoran was. It was Wei.  
  
--- Nearing the evening---  
  
  
  
Sakura looked at the tall muscular chestnut haired man, her heart beating uncontrollably and her cheeks flushing... She wanted to tell him something. She never realized it till now. Standing under the starlit night sky, Sakura saw the good soul of Syaoran... and his handsome features highlighted by the soft moonlight. She knew she would never think Syaoran as just a brother. Comforted by his presence, Sakura drew closer, her eyes half lidded as she opened her mouth to say the few words that she dreamed of saying to Syaoran in her unconscious mind. Ever since he protected and saved her life (other then Mike) Sakura saw Syaoran with a different light and saw what Yelan had seen in her son. The golden light, which attracted her.   
  
"S-syaoran..."  
  
Syaoran turned to her, his eyebrows quirked upwards comically as he smiled at her in a way that made her knees go weak.  
  
"I-i... I wanted to ask you if you thought me more then a sister? Do you... t-think you could like me for more then a si--."  
  
Their conversation, which had created an intense and smoldering atmosphere was broken when A tall pale girl with dark black hair and red eyes dressed in a traditional red Chinese dress with a gold hem appeared.  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling yelled. Her eyes, which were already red, were red from crying, her face flushed and her eyes sad. "Where were you! The whole entire Li clan was waiting and you never appeared."  
  
Syaoran looked trapped, his brown eyes wide as he realized his secret would have to be let out soon. He couldn¡¯t breathe, he yearned for Sakura to finish her sentence and do something, but the sweet young woman stood there, frozen, her eyes lightened up with a strange curiosity.  
  
"What is it?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence while Meiling stood there trembling, her eyes staring into Syaorans brown ones.  
  
Meiling teared up, hot stinging tears of pain going down her cheeks, she ignored Sakura. Envying the way Syaoran would look at Sakura.   
  
"Is this it? What are you going to do Xiao Lang? Run from our engagement? The Li clan won't allow it."  
  
There was a dreadful silence afterwards and Syaoran slowly turned to meet Sakura's shocked face. Her face had gone pale and her breathing came in short sharp gasps. "Y-you're getting married to M-meiling?" Sakura asked dubiously, but she sounded hurt, deeply. Syaoran didn't know what to say. "No! It's not like that--." But it was too late, the damage was done.   
  
Sakura broke and shattered within herself. Her hopes and dreams swirled away down the endless drain of self-pity. Syaoran was getting married. She cried inwardly but let out a smile. She was strong, she handled the weight of her past and Pearl was imprisoned for life. She could keep Syaoran and Meiling happy.  
  
Forcing a bright smile, Sakura spoke up, her eyes watering slightly.   
  
"I hope that both of you are happy... Syaoran is a wonderful person. He'll make a great leader." With that Sakura fled. The last thing Syaoran saw was Sakura's large glimmering green eyes. The eyes that the little wolf, also known as Xiao Ling, was in love with.  
  
Sakura ran down the cold dark alley as the sun set behind her. She was unaware of the growing shadows around her as she felt her world shatter. She knew it would be a little strange to fall in love with her half brother! Goodness- after all the things he put her through she should hate him! But no, she felt only a throbbing painful feeling of something bittersweet. Love. To be loved by him in a brotherly sense was not enough. This was not enough! Sakura wiped the tears from her emerald green eyes as she slowed down. She realized she was lost as she looked around. A cold sense of fright and loneliness overcame her as she heard the light rumbling of thunder. Syaoran was going to get engaged with Meiling. Of course, the Li clan only wanted pure blood running through their family. Sakura smiled crookedly. Meiling was a wonderful person... but something felt wrong. Sakura's nose twitched as a cold droplet of water hit her nose. Sakura blinked and looked up slowly as the heavens let down its burden of water.  
  
------------------  
  
Syaoran wanted to run after Sakura but he was rooted to the ground. His eyes watched as the beautiful young woman that he loved and cared for disappear, maybe out of his life for good. He turned around as he heard Meiling sobbing wretchedly. Pity went through him as he turned to look at his cousin. Her red eyes were swollen with tears and her face was tear stained. He didn't know what to do, but he finally decided to calm down his hysterical cousin. He knelt down beside the raven-haired and patted her back uncomfortably.   
  
"Don't cry." Syaoran whispered.  
  
"Why shouldn¡¯t I cry?" Meiling blubbered as she looked up at him. "You don't want to marry me!"   
  
Syaoran winced. "That's not quite true..."  
  
"That is true!" Meiling said angrily as she got up. "That's why you didn't come to the engagement and decided to hang out with SAKURA instead!"  
  
  
  
Syaoran was silent, his eyes growing cold and frosty as he drew away.   
  
Meilign continued, her voice getting angry and higher in pitch as she ranted on. "Sakura is nothing more then an adopted half sister and you treat her better then me! I am your real cousin!" Her voice became childish as she gibbered on. Syaoran had enough.  
  
The cold gleam in his eyes shut out the poor girl as he backed away.  
  
"Don't talk about Sakura that way." Syaoran said softly. "I care for her... I care for her enough that I will hurt you if you talk shit about her." Syaoran looked away. "But... I don't care about you in the same extent." Meiling sniffled softly and sighed as she looked up.  
  
"I know you don't." Meiling replied. "I just hoped... that over time... you would learn to love me."  
  
Syaoran shook his head. "It's not that easy." Then the cold veil broke slightly.  
  
"But you will find someone who won't learn to love you. You will find someone better then me, that will love you from the day they set eyes on you." Meiling looked at him with blurred eyes as he helped her up. Regret fluttered in her heart, Poor Sakura. Meiling smiled just a tiny bit. At least her cousin learned how to love.  
  
"Syaoran... You love Sakura don't you?"  
  
Syaoran halted, jolting Meiling to a stop. His eyes looked distant and a sad smile twisted its way onto his lips. "Yes." He replied. "But I hardly deserve her... I was about to tell her tonight. But maybe it was for the best. She's leaving tomorrow."  
  
Meiling blinked. "Tomorrow?"  
  
Syaoran nodded. "She returned the company to the Li clan... and she's going to follow her brother back to their home." Syaoran looked vaguely sad, his mask cracked. Meiling felt sorry for him. "Maybe it was for the better..." Meiling said softly as they continued toward home. "The Li clan wouldn¡¯t let you love her. You have things to carry out."   
  
------------------  
  
Sakura smiled as she stared out the plane window, her emerald eyes took in every single detail of the foreign country she had been raised in. Her long lashes touched her cheek as she closed her eyes, her smile fading. Inside her heart ached, but she knew it was impossible to love him, and to hope was just plain stupid. Maybe... Maybe she'll learn to love someone else? She had no idea how she fell in love with her half brother... but she knew that what she saw in him would remain imprinted in her memory forever. His warm heart. A tear traced its way down her high cheekbone as she tried to smile behind her tears. A warm hand gripped hers. Her eyes met the concerned dark brown eyes of her brothers and comfort welled up in her. But nothing would replace the hole in her heart.   
  
'I will be strong. I am now back... father... mother... and we will build off of the remains.'  
  
Staring out the window, she watched the scenery fly on by, slowly at first, but faster... and faster... till it became only a shot of blue with white clouds floating in air, a sigh escaped her lips as she envisioned his face once more.... and then she heard it. A familiar sound.   
  
It was a faint tinkle of silver, which played a beautiful melody. Sakura remembered the words as they flew from the dormant corners of her memory. She slowly turned around as she faced the source of the sound. Tory smiled as he held something out to her.  
  
It was a familiar object, nestled in the secure hands of her older brother.  
  
A silver locket was opened, with the picture of Nadeshiko, Sakura, Tory, and her father within it. The melody... was what her mother had sung to her long ago. Like in her dreams, her mother had long curly black hair and large green eyes. The picture showed a happy family... and the melody struck a chord in her heart as she looked up, her eyes brimming with tears. Tory's voice was gruff.   
  
  
  
"This was mothers, Pearl stole it but I got it back. Sakura, this is yours now."  
  
Her hands closed around the silver necklace and her heart was suddenly filled with love.  
  
"Thank you." Sakura said softly in no one particular. Maybe it was to Syaoran, who was so far away. He had saved her and let her live to see the one thing she wanted to see most. Her family. Now there it was, a perfect moment captured in a photograph.  
  
Her family.  
  
Sakura smiled as she tucked away the necklace into her coat pocket. She frowned as she hit something else in there and pulled it out.  
  
It was the golden sun locket that Yelan had given her. Memories brought tears as she stared at it. She never really looked at it before. She smiled wistfully as she brushed her fingers against it. Her finger hit a notch and the locket sprung open. Suprised, Sakura nearly dropped it, but then she saw something that made her smile.  
  
It was a picture of Syaoran's family.  
  
Yelan, Syaoran's father, and little Syaoran... Her hands trembled; at least she had a picture of Syaoran...  
  
Inside the locket also contained a small golden key with the symbol of the Li clan imprinted on the tip. The Ying and Yang. Emeralds studded one end and Sakura stared at it wondrously. Wondering what it was.   
  
To be Continued...  
  
Preview of Epilogue:  
  
Green eyes blinked hard as she stared at the next meeting scheduled.  
  
"W-what?" Sakura asked nervously, pointing at the paper and asking her unspoken question beseechingly at her brother. Tory's eyebrow raised and he shrugged. "I guess you have to go to that meeting." He said polietly, hiding a smile. "I did make you your own department... and this company is dealing with that." Sakura's cheeks puffed up in anger but in reality, her mind was whirling with past emotions and feelings.  
  
She had thought she had left it all behind.  
  
Her hands were shaking as she folded up the paper and slipped it into her bag. It was impossible. But then, it wasn't impossible. Chance was playing with her. She couldn't face him. Not now. He must be married and happy now. She was happy for him... wasn't she? She barely heard her purple haired friend enter because she was so deep in her thoughts.  
  
"What is it Sakura? Another meeting?" The silvery voice asked, her purple eyes twinkling as she snatched the paper which hung out of her bag as Sakura began to play with a strang of hair listlessly. Her long hair was gone, after returning home she had cut it to shoulder length. Her hand fingered her hair nervously as she looked at Tomoyo irratibly.   
  
"Tomoyo you have no right to barge through my--."  
  
Tomoyo's face went pale. "You're meeting Syaoran again?" Her friends pixie like face looked at her friend in an apprehensive manner. "Are you ok? Sakura?"  
  
Sakura didn't answer and instead she stiffly turned her back on her friend and her brother. (Whose eyebrows were raised in a rather questionable manner...)   
  
"The meetings cancelled!" She said stiffly, not wanting to remeber but remebering the face she adored. She had to forget... He could not love her. Her legs took her into a run as she dashed out of her department, her sorrow flying about her, high tailing her. She ignored the shouts from her suprised employees, Tomoyo, and Tory.   
  
"LOOK OUT!" Tomoyo screeched as she stopped in horror as she watched the things happening in front of her in slow motion.  
  
Sakura, her eyes wide and blank, like a doe trapped in headlights, stared as a motorcycle came crashing towards her. All went black and Sakura heard one long peircing scream.   
  
A/N: Please remeber to Read and Review! Thanks to all reviewers~! *tear* You guys brought me this far... I'll thank EVERYONE in my Epilogue~ ^_^ REVIEW!  
  
-peonyqt1004 


	17. Epilogue: Meeting Again

Title: This is not Enough  
  
Author: Peonyqt1004  
  
Epilogue: "Meeting Again"  
  
Disclaimer: I shall never own CCS- Never. *Sigh*  
  
A/N: Omigod- I finished this story! *laughs happily* I'm so happy- yet a bit sad and still a bit relieved. ^^= I loved all of your reviews! Thank you- every one of you- and bless your soul for sticking with me! You know how weird it feels to be finished with a story you ahve been constantly thinking about for a few months? Well- Now I know. I'm writing a new CCS story- had been writing I mean- and you might like to read it! Only 4 chapters but I think it's really good and diffrent. It's called, "Mercy for the Damned"and I'll be glad if you review and read that one! It's still S and S- ^_^ Romance too~! Well- Here are some many thanks to people who reviewed for my last chapter- If I left anyone out- I still THANK you very much!  
  
-emeraldiris  
  
-Kali Kamiya  
  
-Geminikika1  
  
-sprout  
  
-annasophia  
  
-emily10  
  
-kmpnay  
  
-cherrixwolf  
  
-Shima and Tempis  
  
-ac4cherryz  
  
-SaKuRa LoVa  
  
-kawaiitenshiSakura  
  
-sakuratenshi89  
  
-sally  
  
-SaKuRa-Mina  
  
-AnimeObsessionFantasy  
  
-Sammy-Chann  
  
-skylover  
  
There are still more- I thank you all for reading my story!  
  
Now to the last thing- Remeber to Review! R-E-V-I-E-W!  
  
-Peonyqt1004  
  
~~~~~3  
  
"The Door to the chamber of secrets is close forever." An old man in a dark black cloak muttered, his withered hands touching his forehead thoughtfully. Sorrow   
  
creased his forehead. "Oh daughter... Why did you choose her?" Sighing, the elder looked up into the night sky. What was done was done. He couldn¡¯t change it. There was   
  
no leader in his clan anymore. No one took his place. Why was their clan falling apart now?  
  
----  
  
Green eyes blinked hard as she stared at the next meeting scheduled.  
  
"W-what?" Sakura asked nervously, pointing at the paper and asking her unspoken question beseechingly at her brother. Tory's eyebrow raised and he shrugged.   
  
"I guess you have to go to that meeting." He said politely, hiding a smile. "I did make you your own department... and this company is dealing with that." Sakura's cheeks   
  
puffed up in anger but in reality, her mind was whirling with past emotions and feelings.  
  
She had thought she had left it all behind.  
  
Her hands were shaking as she folded up the paper and slipped it into her bag. It was impossible. But then, it wasn't impossible. Chance was playing with her. She   
  
couldn't face him. Not now. He must be married and happy now. She was happy for him... wasn't she? She barely heard her purple haired friend enter because she was so   
  
deep in her thoughts.  
  
"What is it Sakura? Another meeting?" The silvery voice asked, her purple eyes twinkling as she snatched the paper which hung out of her bag as Sakura began to   
  
play with a strand of hair listlessly. Her long hair was gone, after returning home she had cut it to shoulder length. Her hand fingered her hair nervously as she looked at   
  
Tomoyo irritably.   
  
"Tomoyo you have no right to barge through my--."  
  
Tomoyo's face went pale. "You're meeting Syaoran again?" Her friend¡¯s pixie like face looked at her friend in an apprehensive manner. "Are you ok? Sakura?"  
  
Sakura didn't answer and instead she stiffly turned her back on her friend and her brother. (Whose eyebrows were raised in a rather questionable manner...)   
  
"The meetings cancelled!" She said stiffly, not wanting to remember but remembering the face she adored. She had to forget... He could not love her. Her legs took her   
  
into a run as she dashed out of her department, her sorrow flying about her, high tailing her. She ignored the shouts from her surprised employees, Tomoyo, and Tory.   
  
"LOOK OUT!" Tomoyo screeched as she stopped in horror as she watched the things happening in front of her in slow motion.  
  
Sakura, her eyes wide and blank, like a doe trapped in headlights, stared as a motorcycle came crashing towards her. All went black and Sakura heard one long   
  
piercing scream.   
  
----  
  
A tall brown haired man frowned as he looked at his schedule.   
  
"Are you saying that Ms. Inyua cannot attend?"  
  
His secretary nodded, staring at him dreamily. Her large glasses slid down her nose as she shook herself away from the dream of ever being able to date such a hot   
  
boss. "Yes, she said her daughter is gravely sick and went off to London."  
  
"London?"  
  
"Yes." She said, unsurely. Syaoran smiled. "Great-!" He said loudly, "Then we can head for Tomedo Japan immediately!" He snapped his fingers and let out a   
  
whistle as he walked out of the room. Ms. Inyua cocked her head, her short ebony locks spilling over her sharp bird-like features.  
  
"He seems a happier man now that the Li Clan made that decision..." She murmured as she picked up a stack of papers and walked towards the office.  
  
----  
  
Tomoyo was worried sick about her friend.  
  
The purple haired girl with large amethyst eyes and very fair skin stood outside a cafe worriedly. Tory had told her to leave Sakura alone and go out and get   
  
Something to eat.   
  
'Oh- the agony...' She thought with a grimace. She twirled her shining purple lock about her finger as she listlessly looked down at the menu. There was nothing   
  
good to eat, or she was not hungry.  
  
Pivoting away from the counter, Tomoyo sat underneath a large tree, letting little dapples rays of sunlight hit her once in a while as she took out her cell phone.   
  
"Hello? Tory... Is Sakura alright?"  
  
A growl mixed with grave concern came from the other end.  
  
  
  
"Didn't I tell you not to worry?!" He said loudly, "Sakura is going to be ok. She's going to be alright..."   
  
  
  
Tomoyo wasn't sure who was comforting whom.   
  
"By the way Tomoyo..." Tory added as an afterthought. "Why don't you hold Sakura's meeting? Sakura is worse for the wear right now and we can't hold off this   
  
meeting any longer. Li company is getting impatient."   
  
Tomoyo licked her dry lips.   
  
"Fine. But I am going to drop by and see if Sakura is awake yet... She didn't happen to wake up now did she?"  
  
There was a long silence.  
  
"No." Tory said softly, a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
Closing her cell, Tomoyo leaned forward onto her knees, clasping them. She rested her chin on her knees and stared out at the scene before her. A bustling town   
  
with many different people.   
  
"Excuse me miss?" A deep voice said to her. Tomoyo turned around; the voice struck a chord of recognition in her.  
  
"Yes?" She asked, a bit impatiently as she got up to brush down her light purple and blue sundress.  
  
"Would you mind posing for me so I can get a picture of such a beautiful young lady?"  
  
Tomoyo didn't bother looking up, she frowned. "Excuse me... I'm sorry but I am in a bit of a hurry." Tomoyo looked up and gasped as Navy eyes met purple.  
  
The tall lean man with large glasses smiled at her. His artistic hands swept back a piece of loose dark blue/black hair nervously. A crooked smile graced his dark   
  
good looks.   
  
"E-eriol?!" Tomoyo said rather loudly, her heart thumping loudly in her chest.  
  
----  
  
Groaning, the young woman opened her large green eyes to reality. A faint throbbing was on her right temple and she reached up to massage it. She felt a   
  
Bandage. Blinking in confusion, Sakura slowly got up and stared around her rather blankly. She felt hands slide off the side of the bed and she looked towards the figure.  
  
Tory was there, his head resting on the bed, and he was sleeping. Lines of concern and worry were evident on his face. Sakura smiled and touched her brothers hand   
  
and felt him stir.   
  
"S-sakura?!" He yelped as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Sakura nodded and smiled, then she winced as she felt a faint dull pain. Tory grabbed her hands as   
  
She reached to touch her head once again. "Hey- careful. You had quite an accident there." His soft tone suddenly changed. "What in the WORLD made you go out and get   
  
hit by a motorcycle like that? Do you want to die?" His voice rose and became louder as the pain and fear he had felt came crashing down on poor Sakura. "Did you   
  
Purposely go there? What in the world is wrong with you? Don't you understand that you're my only family now?" His voice cracked as he grasped her hand tightly that it   
  
hurt. Sakura blinked back tears and tried to hide her trembling lips by tucking her face downward.  
  
"If you die... Then I'm alone." Tory whispered. Sakura looked up at him, a single tear running down the side of her high cheekbone. "I-i am sorry Oniichan." She   
  
said, her voice breaking. "I didn't mean to run... I didn't mean to..." He shook his head. "Shush- At least you're ok... Nothings wrong with your head or body now are there?"   
  
Sakura shook her head, her brown hair fluttering around her face and sticking to the sweat that had grown on the center of her forehead. "Only thing is that my body   
  
hurts." She moaned. "My body feels like a thousand pins are sticking me!" Tory smiled, tears of relief about to overflow from his eyes, however he held them back and looked   
  
at her saucily. "You deserve it little monster." He muttered. Sakura remembered that word "monster" quite well. A large stress mark throbbed on her head but she held back   
  
and amused laugh. That one word brought back so many memories. Fond/not so fond memories of Tory teasing her and her stomping on his foot floated through her mind. Too bad she was in no condition to do that   
  
now. "Mou-" She muttered, "I would stomp you... but..." Sakura suddenly leaned forward, biting back pain, and pinched her brother hard on the arm.   
  
"ARRRGGGHHHH!!!"  
  
Sakura was the first to start laughing. Tory blinked and glared at her, but when Sakura's laughter began to range from a faint crying (from the pain) and   
  
helpless laughter, he too began to laugh. It was laughter of relief and joy. Both have not laughed in quite a while.  
  
----  
  
Yukito, who was getting over his latest trauma, flipped through Sakura's report. She had done a good job, but the shifty look in his eyes and his jumpiness with   
  
every noise showed that he was very nervous. His hands trembled. He had betrayed his mother in court and although he felt more cleansed with telling the truth, the   
  
venom and hatred in his mothers blue eyes were more then he could stand. He could swear she was hiding behind the curtains waiting to cut his throat or something. It   
  
took a lot of courage just to walk out of his home.  
  
'So many deaths and all by one woman.' Yukito thought with a sense of sadness. 'My mother wasn't really a bad person... not really.' He drifted back into the   
  
memory when he was just a young child, Pearl was crying at a bench with a large red slap across her face.  
  
He had heard everything his grandfather had said to his mother.  
  
"You senseless bitch!" His grandfather roared, slapping his daughter with his broad tough hands. The look on his grandfather¡¯s stone cold face was scary. Yukito   
  
had hid in the closet while his mom took the worst.  
  
"I told you not to marry a damned man who¡¯s already been married with two children! Do you think you'll get anything? We'll be stark poor once the murder   
  
goes in hand!"  
  
"I don't care!" He had heard his mother say. "I LOVE him!"  
  
There was another resounding smack.   
  
Blue eyes flashed in anger as she stood up, half her face swollen. "I¡¯M FUCKING KILL YOU!" She yelled at her abusive father. "For everything you've done! You kill   
  
Yuna and Dan but I won't let your stupid blows of anger kill and knock ME down!"   
  
Then Yukito had seen it.  
  
His grandfather went towards his mother with anger, a look like he was going to kill her. Yukito closed his eyes as he heard a scream. He looked back out,   
  
trembling when he saw that his grandfather was suddenly still and very limp. Opening the closet door he neared his mother.  
  
  
  
"Mother?"  
  
Pearl was sobbing, her hands were covered in blood as she held a knife in her hands. "I just had to Yukito... Don't you see?" She whispered to him, she hugged him   
  
and Yukito wanted to run, the smell of blood was overpowering and the still corpse of his grandfather was even more unsettling. "It's for the best for you and me. Don't you   
  
see? I'll do everything and anything for you. Anything to make you happy. I'll do everything my parents didn't." Pearl said, close to hysterics. "Lets call your father and tell   
  
him we won't be coming home for a few days." She said softly. "I also won't let Nadeshiko's children take everything that¡¯s rightfully yours Yukito. Nobody!" A strange fire lit   
  
in her eyes as she said those words and was shaking, she dragged her fathers body and burned it outside to ashes. All the houses were miles away. Nobody would think about   
  
going in a rundown shack and trying to find out just that murdered the poor drunken farmer with no name who lived in the neck of the woods.   
  
'And she has kept that promise...' Yukito thought bitterly. 'Good intentions paved bad choices.' He thought. 'Did she really love me? To kill so many people?' He   
  
thought curiously. 'Or maybe it was for herself.' He thought moodily. He would keep the past the past. There was no point in bringing up his mothers suffering when she   
  
had made others suffer three times more then she did.  
  
"Ms. Yubi?"  
  
His secretary, a tall scrawny woman with mouse like features jumped and faced him.   
  
"Y-yes?"   
  
"Please send Sakura's report back to Sakura."  
  
"But Ms. Kinomoto cannot come today sir- Ms. Tomoyo is taking her place. Sakura got in an accident."  
  
Yukito blinked. Accident? He trembled, was it possible his mother got out of prison?  
  
'Impossible!" His mind roared. 'Call Tory about it, I doubt it's what you think.'  
  
----  
  
"E-eriol." Tomoyo stuttered again, not believing he was here. Eriol had a bitter sweetly sad look in his eye.  
  
"May I paint you?"  
  
Tomoyo flushed and became angry at once.  
  
"No! I'm a busy person! Like I said before!" She turned on her heels and blinked away the tears that fell from her eyes. How dare he come back? How dare he try to   
  
resurface the emotions she had worked so hard to bury?  
  
A hand touched her shoulder.  
  
"I still love you Tomoyo. I'm sorry, and this time I am not going anywhere."  
  
Tomoyo wanted to believe him but was afraid it was a lie again.  
  
"How can I believe you if you told me the same thing 3 years ago?"  
  
There was a pause and Eriol spoke to Tomoyo's motionless back.  
  
"I've brought a house and became quite famous back in Paris and Europe. I have enough to support a family and a wife. Won't you come and live with me in this   
  
new house?"  
  
Tomoyo couldn¡¯t believe it. Eriol always lived in hotels and apartments. Always ready to move and go one. A house? Tomoyo believed him finally as she turned   
  
around. She flung her arms around his neck.  
  
"Eriol! Yes I want to be yours! I forgive you!"  
  
Eriol hugged her tightly. 'I won't leave you again.'  
  
----  
  
Tomoyo cleared her throat as people from the Li Company came to sit down at the meeting. As she expected, she saw Syaoran Li walk in, his eyes scanning the   
  
room for a certain someone, and Tomoyo knew just who. She saw disappointment in his eyes as he sat down at the other side of the table. Tory nodded. He sat at the table   
  
with Yukito and his secretary besides him.  
  
"We called this meeting for a new proposal." Tomoyo said loudly and clearly, she earned a brief thumbs up from Yukito.  
  
"As you know, our fashion style of clothing merely followed a trend. We thought, maybe we can start trends ourselves? We looked for the solution and found the   
  
answer. We can revert some styles back to the renaissance period and mix it with modern clothes." There was a murmur but Syaoran looked a bit distracted, and also, very   
  
sad.  
  
"I have designed some tops which is both outrageous and highly fashionable. I've mixed the corset top dress with a peasant shirt and designed it into this..."  
  
A short and ruffled blue dress with a peasant styled top and a very stylish corset like lace in the middle appears. But that wasn't all, the sleeves ballooned   
  
downwards in graceful waves and the back of the dress had a large bow on it. Intricate designed of gold was threaded around the edges.  
  
There was a murmur of approval as the other companies decided on a negotiation with these products.  
  
----  
  
Sakura sighed; she was still in the hospital and was wearing an arm cast and bandages. She had one broken bone and about a thousand scratches and stitched on   
  
her shoulder due to her skidding across the asphalt floor. Wincing she looked in the mirror and frowned, her hair stuck up everywhere and she looked... Dead. Not in the   
  
bad way, but not in the good way either. If she hadn't spazzed out she wouldn¡¯t be hurt, and she could've seen Syaoran. Her heart contracted quickly and she closed her eyes   
  
as she sank back.   
  
'I hope the meetings going alright.' She thought with a smile. 'I included everything in the report, including the dress... and... Oh No!' Sakura's eyes shot open as   
  
she realized something. She had left out the key thing needed at the presentation. The disk and the financial information. She smacked her bandaged head and moaned and   
  
looked at the clock. There was 10 minutes before the meeting started, she had time. Sakura wobbled out of the bed and fell to her knees as pain almost overcame her. She   
  
shook her head and reached for the handbag which Tory had left near her bed with her cell phone.  
  
'I'll call you if anything comes up.'  
  
Sakura looked through the bag and found the gray disk. She looked at the time again. 9 minutes... Oh man. She got up quickly with her bag and nearly   
  
stumbled. Her arm banged against a table and she moaned out loud as her hand burned with pain. Without the disk everything would fall and Tomoyo, who didn't even   
  
had a chance to look at the financial information, would probably mess up and It'd be her fault! Quickly looking in the mirror, she flattened her hair and winced at what   
  
she was wearing. She rummaged through a duffel bag, which Tory had brought for her convenience. (Just in case she could get out tomorrow and rest at home.) She pulled   
  
on a loose red t-shirt and A pair of shorts. She combed her hair frantically and clenched her teeth as her arm throbbed again. She had to be careful, her stitched could fall   
  
out. Slinging the handbag, she opened the door and ran past a surprise nurse who yelled at her to come back. The nurse chased after her.  
  
But Sakura was fine. She knew the hospital like the back of her hand. She used to come here everyday when her mother had cancer.   
  
Racing out the door, Sakura fought dizziness as she called a cab and hoped to make it in time.  
  
----  
  
"And... That¡¯s it!" Tomoyo finished. 30 minutes has passed and all they had to do is open a discussion and sign contracts. Relieved this was all over, Tomoyo   
  
sighed. She touched the new gold wedding band on her ring finger on her had.  
  
A secretary raised her hand from the Li Company.  
  
"Excuse me, but can you discuss the financial information?"  
  
Tomoyo froze. Financial information? She looked at Tory and Yukito who looked as surprised as she was as they rummaged through their stuff for the papers or   
  
disks. Nothing.   
  
"Umm..." Tomoyo stalled, fidgeting with her black and gray business suit. There were mummers and signs of disapproval.  
  
"If we don't see the information we cannot make our decision as well." Syaoran replied, his face calm, cold and serene. Tory frowned and got up, "Why you   
  
ungrateful little--."  
  
"I GOT IT!"  
  
Sakura ran in, bandages and all. Her hair was swirling about her face and in her right outstretched hand was a disk. People blinked at the unruly sight. Sakura   
  
limped forward.  
  
"This is the disk, everything is organized right here."  
  
Pushing aside an employee, she shoved in the disk and stood back as the power point came into view. "Listen, we can invest about a sum of money here and have   
  
more then a 85% chance that it will raise up to about... here... That way we will be making threefold of what we could alone..."  
  
Syaoran's eyebrows nearly jumped off his face as he saw Sakura. It was almost like a dream. Then he realized her condition. He took in her unruly hair, her   
  
broken arm, her bandages and her messy outfit. Something was wrong and he was worried as he watched her limp up to complete the presentation. He could not   
  
concentrate as he looked at Sakura over and over again, almost believing this was a dream and that she wasn't real. Her eyes were still the same lively green and her hair   
  
was cut short. But it did not matter. He had liked her hair long but the short cut gave her face a rather cute and younger look. He wondered what happened as the   
  
presentation began to finish.  
  
Sakura pointed at the graph with her cast. "We would like your support. We can do better then many other companies that way, as you can see."  
  
Her presentation had been a good one and unprepared. The companies clapped their full-hearted agreement and started to discuss the matter fully. Sighing, she   
  
nearly collapsed as the pain returned to her. Sitting down, she heard Tomoyo fuss over her.  
  
"Sakura don't you hurt? Are you ok? You shouldn¡¯t be here... You did well Sakura!"  
  
Her brother, in a dark blue business suit glared at her. Stalking over to her he said in a low growl, "You shouldn¡¯t be here monster!" Sakura stuck out her tongue   
  
and winced. Yukito kept giving them curious glances as the company finally decided.  
  
Tomoyo gave Sakura a look and squeezed her hand, earning a wince from Sakura. Tomoyo gasped and dropped her hand. "Sorry." "No, it's ok. I'm just a bit sore."   
  
Sakura said softly. Her voice faded as her eyes met with amber ones. Tomoyo noticed this and smiled a half smile.   
  
Sakura felt like this was nothing but a dream, a mere dream. But he was really there. Brown hair, handsome smile, everything. Sakura felt her eyes get moist   
  
with happy tears but she managed to look away from the intense stare as she finally realized the contract was being signed.  
  
----  
  
"I'm sorry for my appearance." Sakura apologized to the Tikashi Company. "I rushed." Tory grabbed her arm and steered her away. "Back to the hospital with   
  
you." He said threateningly. Sakura glared at him but rested against her brother with a weariness that tugged at her eyelids. Then she felt her brother stiffen as she heard   
  
the approaching footsteps of someone.  
  
"Is Kinomoto ok?" The voice asked, deep with concern. Sakura recognized that voice and felt her heart pump faster. 'Forget it Sakura, He's probably married to   
  
Meiling and living happily ever after as the leader of the Li clan.'  
  
"What do you want Gaki?!" Tory growled like a dog. Syaoran tilted his head to the side. "I just want to see if Sakura is alright."   
  
'After you broke her heart? I heard it all scumbag- You're married.' Tory thought savagely in his head but managed to keep a cool exterior. "She's fine. She just   
  
need rest..." Sakura broke away from Tory. "I'm fine. I'll go now Tory." Tersely she turned around and ran. The meeting was over, she could go home.  
  
She didn't know if she was running towards home or away from Syaoran. She didn't want to see him, not yet. Sakura groaned in pain as her arm protested as she   
  
stopped by the revolving doors.   
  
"Sakura!"  
  
Sakura closed her eyes. 'No! Please go away!' She thought as she rounded towards the door. She screeched as she tripped over her own feet and she landed on her   
  
shoulder. Pain beyond agony tore through her as she felt her flesh rip.  
  
'Stupid STUPID!' She berated herself, but she couldn¡¯t get up. There was a release of breath near her and a worried face towered over her.   
  
"Syaoran." Sakura whispered as she blacked out.  
  
----  
  
"Sakura!" A beautiful black haired woman yelled to her little daughter. "Naughty Sakura! I told you not to chase after that cursed cat!" Sakura sniffled, her large   
  
green eyes tearful as she held out her arm.   
  
"Neko chan scratched and bit me!" She wailed, her arms throbbed and was bleeding everywhere. Nadeshiko looked as if she was going to faint. "Sakura! Be careful!   
  
Where IS your brother?" "Flirting with Hotaru San." Sakura replied, sniffling as Nadeshiko dabbed alcohol on Sakura's arm. Sakura yelped and cried harder.  
  
"Be strong Sakura." Nadeshiko said soothingly. She gauzed the pain and smiles at her daughter. "Don't be such a pain." Ruffling her daughters hair Nadeshiko   
  
got up. Sakura's father appeared from the house and stared at Sakura. 'Goodness! Is it Neko chan again?" Sakura's lower lip trembled. Sighing, her father knelt down and   
  
looked at Sakura with his gentle brown eyes.  
  
"Don't do that again."  
  
Sakura blinked as the blurry world around her came to focus. Syaoran sat by her looking very worried. He smiled as she woke up. 'You're awake!" Sakura   
  
clenched her teeth and turned away. Syaoran didn't understand.   
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"No." She said shortly.  
  
There was a long uncomfortable silence, and Sakura found the hospitals bright yellow walls particularly interesting.  
  
"I resigned as the leader." Syaoran said softly. Sakura jumped, wincing as she did. "WHAT?!" She yelped. Syaoran smiled. "That life wasn't right for me. I quit."   
  
"B-b-but-." Sakura stuttered, trying to comprehend what it might mean. Syaoran leaned back, his eyes looking at the ceiling as his cheeks turned red.   
  
"I didn't want to leave someone, but it took a sacrifice to get what I needed." Sakura's face fell. Did he like someone else?  
  
"The elders want the key to the room of secrets." He said, raising one eyebrow. "But only one person they cannot reach has it."  
  
"Wha?" Sakura said dumbly.  
  
Laughing slightly, he caught Sakura's hand, cast and all.  
  
"I always wanted to say, I never wanted to leave your side and you are more to me then anything else in the world." Sakura turned bright red as she suddenly   
  
understood. After her hard life and their bitter childhood... he loved her. She blinked and didn't know what to say, Syaoran's eyes dimmed. "Oh..." He dropped her hands.   
  
"You like someone else?"  
  
"No!" Sakura busted out, trying not to feel to giddy.  
  
Syaoran turned to her slowly, his eyes downcast. "So you don't like me more then a friend?"  
  
"NO!" Sakura said loudly. "But I can't believe you gave up your position in your clan- and that you came all the way here to see me." Syaoran frowned. 'Huh?" "I   
  
hate you SO much!" Sakura leaped onto him.  
  
"W-wait! Your stitches!" Syaoran cried as he toppled backwards onto his back.  
  
"I love you too Syaoran Li!" Sakura exclaimed. "More then ever!"  
  
Syaoran struggled to get up, his face red, but stopped as he realized his feelings were returned. He held her in his arms and smiled.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"But... Your clan and the key--."  
  
"You have it Sakura." Syaoran said honestly. "But don't worry- I can probably become leader again and use the key to go back. The best thing is I can still have   
  
you." Sakura smiled as she hugged him tightly, "Was it in the locket?"  
  
"Yes. You were the keeper- I was suppose to protect you but I was sort of... angry." He became ashamed. Sakura smiled and looked up at him, her smile was getting   
  
bigger every minute. "I understand. I understand you completely. You did protect me, and I am grateful." Syaoran looked at her in wonder. "But you had worse... and you   
  
didn't get angry--."   
  
Sakura interrupted him. "Everyone has different ways to handle things. I handled mine with my forgotten memory, and you. I understand and forgive you."  
  
Syaoran hugged her tightly and leaned forward for their first kiss together.  
  
Their lips met, gently and warm at first. It deepened to something passionate and heated as they scrambled up.   
  
"WHAT THE?!" A loud voice exclaimed.  
  
Sakura recognized the voice first.  
  
'Oh Boy... Tory is here.'  
  
Syaoran jumped up in surprise as Tory came running towards him.  
  
"You dare kiss her?! After abandoning her for the damned Li clan you GAKI! I'll beat the shit out of you!"  
  
'If looks can kill his can.' Syaoran thought as he quickly backed away.  
  
"Oniichan! It's ok!" Sakura yelped.  
  
"NO IT'S NOT!" Tory yelled as he rolled up his sleeves. Tomoyo, Eriol, and Yukito stood behind him, gaping. Tomoyo had an all too knowing look in her eyes as she   
  
Glanced at the slightly red Sakura and Syaoran.  
  
"It's fine!" Sakura retorted as she jumped towards Syaoran and plated a kiss on his lips. "Oniichan- You can get ready for my wedding soon- and Tomoyo can design   
  
the dress." It was a fine tactic; shock always halted Tory in his tracks.  
  
"WHAT?!" Tory screamed, looking at Syaoran then at Sakura.  
  
Syaoran held Sakura tighter, grateful for destiny and the hands of fate, which brought him back from his world of bitterness into beautiful young girls   
  
welcoming embrace.   
  
The time of grief and mourning was over; it was not a time for celebration.  
  
Somewhere in China, a girl with dark black hair and large ruby red eyes wished Syaoran and Sakura a happy life with much laughter and joy.  
  
  
  
-THE END-  
  
Thank you!  
  
REVIEW PLEASE! 


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